m 




» * f '• *-» « i- IU » *. 4"* *•♦ *-* • r r « * '♦ 




V 

s 



THE 



MOHAMMEDAN SYSTEM 



OF 



Styeolosg ; 



OR, 



A COMPENDIOUS SURVEY 



OF THE 



HISTORY AND DOCTRINES OF ISLAMISM, 



CONTRASTED WITH 



CHRISTIANITY, 

TOGETHER WITH REMARKS ON THE PROPHECIES RELATIVE 

TO ITS DISSOLUTION. 



BY THE REV. W. H. NEALE, A.M. 

CHAPLAIN OF THE COUNTY BRIDEWELL, GOSPORT, HANTS. 



" Of/xfcXiov yap ciWov ovdsic; dvvarai SsTvca Tvagd rov Ktifitvov, bg tariv 
'lt]<Tovg Xpiorrog." Epist. I. ad Corinth, iii. 11. 



LONDON : 

PRINTED FOR C. & J. RIVINGTON, 

st. Paul's church-yard, 
and waterloo-flace, fall-m-ill 

1828. 



LONDON: 



PRINTED BY 11. GILBERT, 

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TO 



THE RIGHT REVEREND 

GEORGE, 

LORD BISHOP OF WINCHESTER, 

§°c. $c. %c. 

Whose labours have proved highly suc- 
cessful in diffusing more widely a knowledge 
of the Holy Scriptures, and a belief of their 
divine authority, by the publication of a 
Treatise *, from which the Student in Theology 
may not only derive a general acquaintance 
with the subject, but be greatly benefited in 
extending his inquiries to the collateral 

* The Elements of Christian Theology. 

A 2 



iv DEDICATION. p^ \ * 

branches of that invaluable science ; this at- 
tempt to refute a system of wide-extended 
Anti-Christian error, is 



Most respectfully inscribed, 



By his Lordship's obliged and 



Faithful Servant, 



W. H. NEALE. 

GosroiiT. 



PREFACE. 



At a period like the present, so distinguished 
by the improved state of knowledge and spirit 
of religious inquiry, it is hoped, that a succinct 
account of Mohammedanism, in a popular 
form, may prove a useful acquisition, and not 
undeserving the perusal of the friends of Re- 
vealed Religion. 

Christianity and Mohammedanism consti- 
tute, at this day, the two great rival religions 
of the universe a , when viewed in connection 

a The inhabitants of the world may be supposed to amount, 

at the present time, to about 800,000,000, of whom we may 

suppose 

The Christians to be .... 200,000,000 

The Jews 4,000,000 



VI 



PREFACE. 



with their relative influence and extent in the 
Western and Eastern hemispheres; but the 
comparison only holds good in that particular 
point, for when the systems are placed by the 
side of each other, and fairly examined in 
their history, doctrines, and evidences, all 
ideas of competition must be relinquished, 
and the futility and inconclusiveness of the 
arguments, by which Mohammedanism is at- 
tempted to be upheld, become strikingly ap- 
parent. The works which have appeared on 
Oriental topics b , though admirably adapted 

The Pagans 456,000,000 

The Mohammedans 140,000,000 

See Adams' Religious World displayed. 

" It is impossible to estimate, with any approach to accuracy, 
the number either of Musulmans or of Christians ; but, consi- 
dering for a moment, the subject of religion in a geographical 
sense, it may be generally remarked, that as Christianity has 
unlimited influence in Europe, so Islamism is the dominant 
religion in Asia ; and that as the Christian faith has consi* 
derable weight in America, Mohammedanism has its propor- 
tionate sway in Africa."— See Mills' History, p. 414. 

b " England may well be proud of her scholars in Asiatic 
literature. Sale maintained her character which Edward Po- 



PREFACE. vii 

to their specific objects, are not more than 
equal to the reasonable expectations of the 
public, neither do they supersede or render 
further attempts at illustration superfluous. 
The same object may be viewed with advan- 
tage and effect, through a variety of medium : 
what is not found to engage attention, under 
one aspect or point of view, may by a change 
of scene, become attractive and awaken laud- 
able curiosity : a compendium may prove a 
welcome companion where a formal treatise 
would be rejected. Since Prideaux's life of 
Mohammed, nothing has appeared among us 
in the shape of a manual. To obviate this 
inconvenience has given rise to the present 
attempt, which is an extension of his plan, 



cocke had formed. The translation of the Koran into the 
English language, has received the approbation of every master 
Of the Arabic. Mr. Sale's Preliminary Dissertation and Notes 
are admirable. All writers on this interesting topic grate- 
fully acknowledge their obligations to them." — Mills' History, 
p. 287. 



. viii PREFACE. 

entering into a wider field and more diversified 
. details, than what comported with the design 
of his undertaking. Such a mode of survey 
has been adopted, as without fatiguing the 
attention, should comprise all essential infor- 
mation on the subject ; such as the life of 
Mohammed, and the principal causes that 
contributed to his success, with suitable ob- 
servations on the nature and character of that 
success ; a comprehensive account or analysis 
of the Koran, with appropriate citations, in- 
cluding many of the most admired passages, 
designed to render the style, doctrines, and 
literary merits of that singular performance 
more familiar to the generality of readers : 
the defects both in external and internal evi- 
dence under which the system labours, are 
also noted, and the Scripture vindicated from 
the charge of corruption : several Moham- 
medan mis-statements and errors stated : the 
history of Jesus given in the words of the 




PREFACE. m 

Koran, with notes, and contrasted with the 
accounts of the Evangelists; that the gross- 
ness of the delusion and its agreement with 
spurious and apocryphal pieces may at one 
view be detected, and how little of real Chris- 
tianity entered into its original composition; 
the Christian scheme of redemption through 
a Mediator next follows, and the incidental 
blessings conferred by Christianity are consi- 
dered as affording presumptive proof of its 
Divine origin ; a brief notice is taken of the 
prophecies supposed to relate to the period 
of its dissolution ; which topics, with the con- 
cluding observations, embrace intelligence 
sufficient for general purposes, and may be 
useful in aiding further researches. 

In a compendium designed for the use of 
those who profess belief in revealed religion, 
it would be irrelevant to enlarge upon the 
necessity of a Revelation from heaven to 



x PREFACE. 

guide and direct man in the right way, or the 
probability that God would vouchsafe such a 
boon to his erring creatures; these proposi- 
tions, or arguments a priori, though funda- 
mentally important, would be out of place 
here ; because by admitting the claims of 
Judaism and Christianity to a divine original ; 
and arrogating only superiority to itself, Mo- 
hammedanism recognises and concedes these 
as first principles, which are therefore taken 
for granted : the main contest consequently 
depends on a third proposition, viz., which of 
the systems, now under consideration, best 
supports the character and marks of a divine 
revelation. This involves various considera- 
tions respecting the genuineness and authen- 
ticity of what are termed " the canonical 
Scriptures ;■: and whether they afford criteria 
by which the question may be tried. Res- 
pecting which, and similar topics, thus much 
may be premised, that as far as the subject 



PREFACE. xi 

partakes of a literary character, it must be 
dealt with accordingly, by reference to the 
testimony of cotemporaneous writers, and the 
uniform consent or agreement transmitted 
from the earliest times to our days ; while the 
sense of Scripture must be determined either 
from its positive declarations, or fair and legi- 
timate inference. In enquiries of this nature, 
reason has a high and momentous duty to 
discharge, viz. to ponder well all the evidence 
of which the case is susceptible, and to decide 
impartially. No intention exists of unduly 
exalting the intellectual faculties, or decrying 
the office of the Spirit in directing truth with 
saving power to the heart; all that is here 
contended for is, that reason should act in 
its proper sphere. Whatever is clearly re- 
vealed must be received on the authority of 
God himself, but the evidence by which it is 
accompanied, is open to fair discussion and 
enquiry. In this line the full exercise of all 



xii PREFACE, 

the powers of the mind is required, and its 
decisions must be regarded ; because no sys- 
tem is worth contending for, the evidences of 
which will not abide this powerful and effec- 
tive test I 

The religion of Mohammed, has, like that 
of Jesus, its great and leading sects, which 
branch out into numerous subdivisions : the 
principal are the Turks, who are called Son- 
nites or Traditionists ; and the Persians, who 
in consequence of rejecting the traditions, are 
termed Shiites or Sectaries; between these 
rival dissidents c an implacable animosity pre- 



c The deadly feuds of the Turks and Persians will remind 
the classical reader of an apt allusion, Juv. Sat. 15. v. 33, &c» 

" Inter finitimos vetus atque antiqua simultas 
Immortale odium, et nunquam sanabile vulnus 
Ardet adhuc." 

Abul-feda, Prince of Hama, by nation a Turk, an author 
of great repute in the East, for two books which he wrote — 
the first a general geography of the world, after the method 



PREFACE. xiii 

vails; but it would be incompatible with our 
plan to enter into mere differences of opinion, 
as involving a separate and distinct branch of 
argument, and withdrawing the attention too 
much from the main points on which the me- 
rits of the case depend. If the citadel be 



of Ptolomy : the other an Epitome of the History of Nations. 
He died A.D. 1345, aged 72 years. 

Abul-pharagius, an author of eminent note, for his History 
written in the Arabic, and divided into dynasties. This cele- 
brated work begins from the creation of the world, and reaches 
to the year of our Lord 1284, about which time he flourished. 

Bidawi, a famous Commentator of the Koran : he chiefly 
copied from Zamacshari : he died A.D. 1293. 

Elmacin, author of a History of the Saracens, or rather a 
Chronology of the Mohammedan empire, was born in Egypt 
about the middle of the thirteenth century. His history comes 
down from Mohammed to the year of the Hegira 512 (i.e.) 
A.D. 1118. 

Jallalo'ddin. The two Jalals wrote a Commentary on the 
Koran; the first began, and the second finished it, A.D. 1466. 
and was also author of a History called Mez-har. 

Jannabi, an historian of Jannaba, in Persia, author of a his- 
tory which reaches to the year of our Lord 1556. 

Zamacshari wrote a large Commentary on the Koran, of the 
highest esteem amongst the Moslems. He died A.D. 1143. 
See Prideaux's Life of Mohammed. 



xiv PREFACE. 

indefensible, the outworks must fall. The 
authorities here principally relied on are be- 
yond fair exception, viz. Sale and Gibbon : 
the former of whom has been styled half a 
Musulman and the latter not half a Christian d . 
Their references, it is well known, besides 
the best modern authors, include the names 
of Abul-feda c and Abul-pharagius ; to which 
may be added, Beidawi, Elmacin, Jallaoddin, 
Jannabi, Zamacshari, and others of acknow- 
ledged celebrity in questions of this descrip- 
tion ; though, after all, it is remarkable, that 
they cannot appeal to any writers within 
the first century of the Hegira f . 

After the expiration of two hundred years, 

d See Maltby. 

e Gibbon, who is certainly entitled to the praise of sparing 
no pains to collect the earliest and most authentic materials, 
fairly allows, that both Abul-feda and Jannabi are modern 
historians, and that they cannot appeal to any writers of the 
first century of the Hegira. — -See Maltby's Illustrations. 

f See Maltby. 



PREFACE. xv 

the sonna or oral law was fixed and conse- 
crated bv the labours of Al-Bochari g . But 
further, our acknowledgments are due to 
Prideaux, White's Bampton Lectures, Jones' 
New and full Method of Settling the Canonical 
Authority of the New Testament, Mills' 
History of Mohammedanism, Maltby's Illus- 
trations, Collyer's Lectures on Scripture Com- 
parison, and the Persian Controversies trans- 
lated by Professor Lee ; an invaluable acqui- 
sition, containing controversial tracts on 
Christianity and Mohammedanism, by the 
late Rev. Henry Martyn, and some of the 
most eminent writers in Persia, together with 
an original tract, and an extended account of 
h former controversy on the same subject. 
From these and other sources, assistance has 
been derived, but no facts are advanced 
which may not be confirmed by the autho- 

s See Gibbon. 



xvi PREFACE. 

rity of one or the other of the two first- 
mentioned authors. 

After this expression of obligation, a few 
remarks may not be inapplicable respecting 
the conduct of the work. A strict regard has 
been paid to accuracy ; the mistakes of for- 
mer 11 writers are carefully avoided, no exag- 
geration, or attempts at merely exciting 
ridicule or prejudice are here employed. 

h The following' are instances of mis-statement, now univer- 
sally exploded, — that Mohammed was of obscure origin,where- 
as the contrary is the fact ; the story of the tame pigeon, 
which whispered the commands of God in his ear; his being 
subject to epilepsy, and pretending that the attacks of the 
disorder were illapses of the Spirit, and that his mortal part 
strained to the height 

" In that celestial colloquy divine, 

Dazzled and spent, sunk down and sought repair." 

That he had difficulty in persuading his wife to embrace his 
Religion ; that he attacked the Meccans merely under pre- 
tence of their having broken the treaty ; that he forcibly de- 
spoiled some orphans of their house, to erect a mosque in 
Medina ; that his coffin was suspended by magnets in the air 
at Mecca, &c. 



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PREFACE. xvii 

Nothing therefore has been set down for the 
purpose of cavil or dispute only, or with other 
than feelings of sympathy, for those whose 
lot has not been (like our own) cast in a 
lightsome Goshen, but in a land of darkness 
and gross obscurity, where error and preju- 
dice have grown with their growth, and in- 
creased with their strength, while the only 
means of counteracting their deleterious 
effects, have been limited in operation, and 
to the generality totally inaccessible. At the 
same time no doctrines are compromised, 
because such a mode of procedure would be 
derogatory to Christianity. The Musulmans 
entertain erroneous notions on many points, 
particularly the doctrine of the Trinity : the 
inferences they draw are such as are not war- 
ranted by the premises, and have been re- 
peatedly disproved and disavowed. Here 
then we are at issue on a question which can 
be fairly decided by reason and argument ; 

a 



xviii PREFACE. 

the doctrine itself rests on other grounds, 
and will maintain its title to veneration and 
respect, until something more than mere as^ 
sertion or calumny shall be brought to bear 
against its credibility. 

This compendious survey will satisfy the 
reader of the futility of the pretensions of 
Islamism, and excite to closer and more 
elaborate investigation of that matchless 
chain of evidence (to say nothing at present 
of the doctrines) by which Christianity is 
pre-eminently distinguished ! As to minor 
matters, the orthography of Sale's Koran has 
been followed, except in quotations; and in 
regard to a few terms of frequent occurrence, 
the words Scriptures and Scripture, denote 
the books received by the Jews and Christians 
as the rule of faith : the Pentateuch means the 
five books of Moses, viz. Genesis, Exodus, 
Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, from 



PREFACE. xix 

7TSPTS five and tsv^oq volume; though they 
stand as separate books in the private copies 
now in use, yet they were written by their 
author, Moses, as one continued work, and 
still remain in that form in the public copies 
read in the Jewish synagogues \ The Koran 
is from an Arabic root signifying the book fit 
to be read. Islam or Islamism implies resig- 
nation both of body and soul to God, and is 
used in the same sense with Mohammedanism. 
Moslem or Musulman is a derivative of the 
same root, and signifies a follower of Islam or 
Islamism. In conformity with the practice 
now generally prevalent, Moslem or Musul- 
man is considered as of the singular number, 
and Moslems or Musulmans as plural. 

The work is submitted to the public with 
the hope that it may excite attention, and af- 
ford a few hours' rational entertainment on an 

1 See Bishop Tomline's Elements of Christian Theology. 



xx PREFACE. 

interesting and important subject. It will be 
a source of heartfelt satisfaction, should the 
object in some degree be attained, of deve- 
loping error and elucidating that faith which 
is most worthy of God, best suited to the na- 
ture and condition of man, and the only safe 
guide to happiness here and hereafter. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 

PAGE 

Summary of the Life of Mohammed, comprising the ori- 
gin and progress of the grand Eastern Apostasy, with 
the causes that contributed to its success ; — the state 
of Islamism on the Death of its Author, and under 
his Successors the Caliphs •••••••••• 1 



CHAPTER II. 

Success considered abstractedly affords no criterion of a 
divine original : — Christianity and Islamism contrasted : 
— the success of the former shewn to be miraculous, 
and that of the latter accounted for on ordinary prin- 
ciples, consonant with prophecy, and will ultimately 
prove beneficial to truth ••..•......•• 51 

CHAPTER III. 

Some account of the Koran : — citations illustrative of its 
distinguishing tenets and style : — its literary character 
and merits discussed , 73 



xxx CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER IV. 

PAGE 

Islamism unsupported by miracles and prophecy : — op- 
posed to former dispensations: — defective in essential 
points, and undeserving the character of a divine 
Revelation • • • • 135 

CHAPTER V. 

The Scriptures vindicated from the charge of corruption : 
— several Mohammedan inaccuracies specified 173 

CHAPTER VI. 

The History of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, given 
in the language of the Koran* with notes and suitable 
Reflections .... * 190 



CHAPTER VII. 

The Christian scheme of Redemption through a Mediator 214 

CHAPTER VIII. 

The incidental blessings conferred by Christianity urged 
as a presumptive proof of the divine original 224 



CONTENTS. xxxi 



CHAPTER IX. 

PAGE 

The Prophecies generally supposed to relate to the disso- 
lution of the Mohammedan Apostasy considered in the 
light of encouragement for attempting their conversion, 
and the method by which it will be effected 237 



CHAPTER I. 



SUMMARY OF THE LIFE OF MOHAMMED J COMPRISING 
THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF THE GREAT EASTERN 
APOSTASY, WITH THE CAUSES THAT CONTRIBUTED TO 
ITS success; THE STATE OF ISLAMISM ON THE DEATH 
OF ITS AUTHOR, AND UNDER HIS SUCCESSORS THE 
CALIPHS. ^ 

The Eastern world is fraught with recollec- 
tions interesting to the scholar, the antiqua- 
rian, and the statesman, as being the earliest 
seat of empire, the cradle of the arts and 
sciences, which are conducive to the embel- 
lishment and comfort of society; the seat 
from whence colonies emigrated to people 
and form new 7 states : its magnitude and 
population, natural advantages both of cli- 
mate and soil, and political importance invite 
and repay the most diligent research into its 

B 



2 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

history ; but the religious aspect, which it 
wears, particularly fixes the attention, and 
awakens the sympathy of the Christian, whilst 
contrasting its present degeneracy with its 
former splendid condition : it was in this 
quarter where the grand scene of Revelation 
was gradually unfolded, where Patriarchs 
and Prophets lived, and in the fulness of 
time Jesus promulgated that religion, the 
sum and substance of former revelations, 
whose benign influence has meliorated the 
condition of mankind, and to vvhose sublime 
discoveries we are indebted for the clearest 
and most consolatory views of eternity. 

The spectacle now exhibited by the Eastern 
world, is that of an affecting apostasy from 
the true faith, which has existed for more 
than twelve centuries, with a very injurious 
effect, and a marked and striking contrast to 
the beneficial operation of the Christian dis- 
pensation. The revolutions of empire read 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 3 

us an instructive lesson on the instability of 
human affairs ; and it is with religious the 
same as civil privileges : if not suitably im- 
proved, they may be judicially withdrawn. 
Where are the once flourishing Churches of 
Africa, rendered famous by the labours of 
Origen? and what is now the state of the 
Eastern hemisphere, once so highly cele- 
brated ? These considerations may well ex- 
cite us to watchfulness and diligent scrutiny 
of our principles and practices : we should 
note the causes which contributed to the 
downfall of others, that we may be better 
prepared to encounter and happily overcome 
the difficulties to which, under some form or 
other, all are alike exposed. 

Mohammed, who was the principal actor 
in effecting this stupendous mental and 
political revolution, was born at Mecca, 
in Arabia Petreea, A.D. 569 a , his father's 

a Gibbon. 
B 2 



4 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

name was Abdallah, and his mother was 
Amena, respectably connected, and allied to 
the tribe of Koreish, and the family of Ha- 
shem, the hereditary guardians of the Caaba, 
or temple at Mecca; whither devotees re- 
paired, from high antiquity, to worship their 
Pagan deities. Early deprived of his father, 
whilst only in his second year, the care of 
himself and mother devolved upon his grand- 
father Abdal-Motalleb : the hand of death 
again severed the natural tie and rendered 
him an orphan : his grand-father also sunk 
under the weight of years, and transferred 
him to the care of his uncle Abu-Taleb, so 
that no very flattering prognostications could 
have been formed of his future celebrity. 
Abu-Taleb seems to have discharged his duty 
well, and designed him for commerce, a mode 
of life held in high estimation among the 
Arabs, because that part of Arabia enjoyed 
no agricultural advantages, and the inter- 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 5 

course between states and the various necessi- 
ties of life were supported and relieved by 
caravans or companies of trading merchants b , 
to which allusion is made in the writings of 
Moses. A world of controversy has been 
elicited concerning his early education: his 
followers, to enhance the reputation of their 
Prophet, maintain that he could neither read 
nor write, while the opponents of Islamism 
as strongly insist that such ignorance was 
more affected than real. Among the mo- 
derns, Gibbon strongly contends for the illi- 
terateness of the Prophet, and White advo- 
cates the contrary side of the question. 

At this distance of time it is impossible to 
ascertain satisfactorily the nature of his at- 
tainments, most likely they were similar to 
what those enjoyed in the same sphere with 
himself, his equals in society, though proba- 
bly destitute of those advantages attainable 

b Koran, chapter 106. 



6 LIFE OF MOMAMMED. 

by all ranks in our days ; because the neces- 
sary arts of reading and writing were confined 
chiefly to the Christians and Jews, who are 
called People of the Book, and were rare 
qualifications amongst the independent tribes. 
Though Job, who was an Arabian, and prior 
to Mohammed by several centuries, under- 
stood letters , yet the discovery had been 
subsequently lost ; and the rude Cufic charac- 
ter was introduced only a few years anterior 
to the birth of Mohammed. Still, on which- 
ever side of the question the balance may in- 
cline is not very material, because Moham- 
med had it in his power to procure any assist- 
ance that might be requisite. 

But whatever educatory advantages or de- 
fects attended his infancy, the subject of this 
memoir was highly gifted by nature, inheriting 
a graceful person and commanding genius, 
superior to the age in which he lived, a com- 

c Job xix. 23, 24. 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 7 

bination of rare qualities joined with an en- 
thusiasm of character which, when circum- 
tances demanded, developed mental resources 
fully equal to all the occasions of his diversi- 
fied career d . 

. The incidents of his early life are soon re- 
lated and much to his credit. First, in the 
service of his uncle ; and afterwards as factor 
to Khadijah, widow of one of the chief inha- 
bitants of his native town, he negotiated in 
various places with such zeal, ability, and 
success as to secure the respect and attach- 
ment of his employers : his uncle, though 
never his convert, ever stood forward as his 
protector and shielded him from many dan- 
gers with which he was threatened by the 
Koreish; and he afterwards obtained the 
person and fortune of Khadijah, which ren- 
dered him equal in opulence with any in 



d See Sale, Gibbon, White, Mills and Maltby. 



8 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

Mecca, and fully restored him to the station 
of his ancestors e . 

During the whole of this union, notwith- 
standing a disparity of years on the side of 
his wife, the conduct of Mohammed appears 
not only to have been correct, but amiable 
and exemplary, and when subsequent events 
placed unlimited power and indulgence within 
his reach, ingratitude to Khadijah cannot be 
reckoned amongst his vices. It is recorded 
that when Ayesha, in all the insolence of 
beauty, said, " Was not Khadijah old, and 
has not God given you a better in her place ? ,J 
" No V cried the grateful Mohammed, " there 
never was a kinder or a better woman. She 
trusted in me when men mocked at and des- 
pised me : she relieved my wants when I was 
poor and persecuted by the world : she was 
all devotion to my cause *" Not only his 

8 See Sale, Gibbon, Maltby, Mills, 
f Sale, Mills. 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 9 

observations at Mecca, the seat of ancient 
superstition, but extensive information derived 
from his transactions with the leading sects of 
the day, under their different modifications, 
whether Pagan, Jewish, or Christian, con- 
vinced him of the powerful influence of reli- 
gion on the sentiments and practice of man- 
kind : he observed also hostile feelings in 
sects differing from each other, and endless 
divisions of sentiment among those professing 
the same creed. The Unity of the Godhead 
also which forms the distinguishing feature of 
the Koran, seemed in his estimation almost 
obliterated or in danger of being lost g , as 
well by the idolatry of his countrymen in 
joining mediators with God as by certain ob- 



e Jones thinks that the Mohammedan scheme was much 
founded on, or gathered from the tenets of the Montanists or 
Manichees, or both. Montanus pretended to deal with a 
demon, and his followers were taught to acknowledge him as 
the Paraclete. See Jones on the Canonical Authority of the 
New Testament 



10 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

noxious tenets, subversive of that grand truth 
imputed both to Jews and Christians. 

Arabia, at this time, harboured a singular 
variety of sects, and offered a fine field for a 
religious or political experimentalist. Here 
Paganism flourished under various forms, the 
Jews had also flocked and established them- 
selves here as in a place of security after their 
expulsion from Rome by the Emperor Adrian, 
and various sects of Christians, as they were 
successively crushed at Constantinople, fled 
hither for protection, carrying with them and 
broaching their respective tenets without mo- 
lestation. Grievous as it may be, it is still 
important to note the unhappy heresies which 
have agitated at different times, the Church 
of Christ. 

From a very early period, even during the 
life of the immediate disciples of our Lord, 
the Enemy was not backward in sowing tares : 
in the days of St. John, whose writings close 



LIFE OF MOMAMMED. 11 

the Canon of the New Testament, heresies 
had advanced to a considerable height, par- 
ticularly those of Ebion and Cerinthus, and 
the several sects of Gnostics, which com- 
menced with Simon Magus, and were conti- 
nued and carried on by Valentinus and Basi- 
lides, Carpocrates and Menander. The Di- 
vinity of Jesus was denied by Ebion, accord- 
ing to Eusebius and Epiphanius, who asserted 
him to be a mere man, and to have had no 
existence before he was born of the Virgin 
Mary. The Gnostics had debased Chris- 
tianity by intermixing with its pure doctrines 
the reveries of Jewish Cabbalists, the conceits 
of Pythagoras and Plato, and the Chaldaean 
philosophy, the genealogy of divine emana- 
tions and distinctions respecting the Person 
of Christ. Thus errors had been lamentably 
accumulating. The symptoms indicated a 
general decay and dereliction of first princi- 
ples. The adoration of relics, the worship of 



12 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

images, saints and angels, transubstantiation, 
the deification of the Virgin Mary, amongst 
the Collyridian heretics, and purgatory, were 
the hateful offspring of this and the preceding 
centuries. Gregory the Great compares the 
Church to a rotten and leaky ship, hourly 
threatened with wreck. Ichabod, thy glory 
is departed, may be considered as a suitable 
emblem. 

" I saw thy glory as a shooting star 
Fall to the base earth from the firmament." 

Various writings were current 11 amongst 
the different sects, and interpolated to an- 
swer particular purposes, such as the Gospel 
of Cerinthus, or the Nazarenes, the Preach- 
ing and Revelation of Peter ; the Gospel of 
Barnabas ; the Prot-Evangelion of James, or 



For an account of all the Apocryphal pieces, and an able 
confutation, see Jones on the Canonical Authority of the New 
Testament. 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 13 

the Gospel of the Birth of Mary, the Gospel 
of the Infancy of Christ, and many others, 
which were never generally acknowledged, 
and have now sunk into merited obscurity 
and almost oblivion ; but at that time they 
possessed a certain degree of weight and cir- 
culation. 

Such a posture of affairs might suggest 
to the contemplative and ardent mind 
of Mohammed the desirableness of winning 
over the contending factions to some com- 
mon principle of essential truth, such as the 
Unity of the God-head, which, according to 
his views, seemed dreadfully obscured, if not 
in danger of total extinction. What were 
his original motives we cannot say, perhaps, 
however, at first, the idea of subjugating so 
vast a portion of the globe might not have 
entered his mind : he could not, with cer- 
tainty, calculate on a successful issue, with 
whatever purity of intention ; and must have 



14 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

anticipated various impediments in his at- 
tempt to stem the torrent of conflicting opi- 
nions and interests. Whether enthusiasm or 
hypocrisy predominated in the commence- 
ment of his career is a question that ad- 
mits of no easy solution, and must be left to 
that unerring Judge, to whom all hearts are 
open, and from whom no secrets are hid : 
thus much may be observed, that the dili- 
gence, zeal, and address, with which he 
prosecuted his enterprise, and pursued it 
through all its details, at Mecca, would have 
done credit to a better cause. 

As John, the Baptist, prepared for his im- 
portant office as Precursor of the Messiah, in 
the solitude of a desert, so Mohammed af- 
fected an almost total seclusion from the 
world, in a cave at Mount Hara, near Mecca, 
where he boasted of celestial revelations 
through the medium of the Angel Gabriel. 
The outlines of his plan were here formed, 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 15 

or varied according to circumstances: this 
event occurred somewhere about the period 
when the grant of the Emperor Phocas had 
been obtained, conferring the title of Uni- 
versal Pastor on the haughty Prelate of 
Rome. Phocas usurped the sceptre with 
enormous crimes ; his state required support, 
and he laboured to gain Pope Gregory's in- 
terest, and in return the Pope, desirous of 
the Primacy, made application to Phocas to 
confirm his pretensions ; but Gregory dying 
before the completion, Boniface, his succes- 
sor, obtained the sanction, and assumed the 
style of Universal Bishop. 

Without attempting minutely to fix the 
sera of these two remarkable occurrences, 
viz. Mohammed's retirement to the cave at 
Hara, and the assumption of such a title by 
the Roman Pontiff, they followed so closely 
together as justly to be considered a singular 
coincidence. The epocha was particularly 



16 LIFE OF xMOHAMMED. 

turbulent in the annals of history, marked with 
the formation of new kingdoms out of the 
mighty wreck of the Roman empire, jealousy 
and divisions in the neighbouring states, 
comparative tranquillity with no preponder- 
ating interest amongst the independent Ara- 
bian tribes, who were rising into importance, 
and required only a principle of union to be- 
come truly formidable. At this period, two 
mighty influences were at work in the Eastern 
and Western Hemispheres, against civil and 
religious establishments, destined hereafter to 
acquire such extensive domination, each cha- 
racterised by singular properties, unlimited 
pretensions, and enormous attempts. The 
one was avowedly Anti-Christ, the opponent 
of the person and glory of Messiah ; the 
other was the same, not by the open profes- 
sion of infidelity, but by secret and no less 
destructive arts, strengthening and uphold- 
ing a system of usurpation, corruption and 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 17 

fraud, which, while it tended to the aggran- 
dizement of the popedom, virtually dethroned 
the Saviour, and converted the best gift of 
God, the religion of Jesus Christ, into the 
very reverse of all the ends for which it was 
designed. With regard to Mohammed, had 
he pretended no particular call, and restricted 
himself to the inculcation of the unity of the 
divine nature, he might have been trans- 
mitted to posterity as the head of a sect, but 
not as the founder or compiler of the code 
which now bears his name. Asserting a 
particular call exposes him to reprehension : 
there is no God but God, is an acknowledged 
truth, but that Mohammed is his prophet is a 
fiction. The natural and penal consequence 
of error is to produce itself in endless variety ! 
This accounts for his tampering with Christi- 
anity and Judaism, it being necessary to 
the success of his projects to recognise those 
ancient and widely prevailing modes of faith, 

c 



18 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

and to mix up or counteract what might not 
suit his purposes. The basis, or ground-work 
of the attempt at religious comprehension, is 
sufficiently ample : the curious admixture in 
the Koran of pagan superstition, reveries of 
the Talmud, detached passages of Scripture, 
and portions of spurious and Apocryphal 
writings, is dealt out with a studious accom- 
modation to the pre-conceived notions and 
views of different sects, and at the same time, 
not to appear a servile imitator, some trifling 
alterations are introduced. On opening his 
commission, with all that sagacity and tact 
which distinguishes this extraordinary cha- 
racter throughout the whole of his progress, 
he makes powerful appeals to the national 
prepossessions or prejudices of his country- 
men : he professes himself a delegate from 
Heaven to them, saying, as mankind were 
not saved by the writings of Moses, the 
Psalter, or New Testament, that he was de- 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 19 

puted fully to instruct the favoured Arabians 
by the Koran, to supply the deficiencies of 
former revelations, and to close the book of 
prophecy. The Arabians prided themselves 
in their descent from Ishmael, and the anti- 
quity of the temple at Mecca: in accordance 
with these feelings he states 1 , that it was 
built by angels for the Patriarch Abraham, 
after the pattern of that in which Adam had 
worshipped God in Paradise, and that it is 
placed under its arche-type in heaven (con- 
sequently they consider Paradise in heaven,) 
and that Abraham and Ishmael worshipped 
there ; that in process of time idolatry pre- 
vailed, from which he was commissioned to 
rescue them : he further designates his faith 
as a republication of that of Abraham, who, 
he says, was neither Jew nor Christian, but a 
Musulman J ; he allows the missions of former 
Prophets to an extent almost bordering on 

5 Koran, chap. 2. * Ibid. chap. 23. 

c 2 






20 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

licence, reserving however to himself the 
superiority. Various accounts are adapted, 
partly from the Scriptures, and partly from 
other sources, to shew the vengeance of God 
upon such as slighted former messengers' 1 . 
He gave them to understand that the old 
world was destroyed by a deluge, for dis- 
obedience to Noah, that Sodom was con- 
sumed by fire and brimstone for its treat- 
ment of Lot, and the Egyptians were drowned 
in the Red Sea for rejecting the mission of 
Moses, and also that Ad and Thamud, two 
ancient Arabian tribes, were swept away from 
the face of the earth for neglecting the warn- 
ing of Saleh 1 ; he proclaimed also the joys 
of heaven and the torments of hell, to all 
who should receive or reject his mission 01 . 

During his residence at Mecca, it is uni- 
versally allowed that his general conduct was 

* Koran, chap. 7. ! Ibid. chap. 7. 

m Ibid. chap. 21. 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 21 

mild and conciliatory, labouring with indefa- 
tigable industry in the work of Proselytism, 
The first convert was his wife Khadijah, on 
repeating to her a passage pretended to be 
revealed by the angel, and which is generally 
supposed to include the first five verses of the 
96th chapter ; from esteeming him as a hus- 
band, she admitted his claims as a prophet". 
At her solicitation, her cousin, who was versed 
in the Scriptures, became the next convert, 
then his slave Zeid, whom he presented with 
liberty, a practice still prevalent among the 
Moslems towards slaves who embrace their 
faith : his cousin and pupil, Ali, son of Abu 
Taleb, next followed, who has sometimes 
been dignified with the title of the first of 
Believers: after him succeeded Abu-beker, 
with five principal men of the city, all in the 
space of about three years °. 

About this time Mohammed pretended a 

n See Sale ; Maltby, Mills. ° See Gibbon. 



22 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

command from God to admonish his near 
relations p , and at an entertainment expressly 
given for the purpose, he explicitly announced 
his mission, and invited them, in glowing lan- 
guage, to participate in the promised bless- 
ings : his overtures were treated with ridicule, 
and indignantly rejected; the youthful AH 
alone remaining firm to the Prophet. Abu- 
Taleb remonstrated with them on the dangers 
which they incurred by such conduct; but 
enthusiasm, such as theirs, was impervious 
to reason or argument : the venerable man, 
notwithstanding, being still solicitous for their 
safety, protected them by his influence, when 
he could no longer benefit them by admoni- 
tion q . The Koreish, from enmity to the Prophet, 
persecuted his followers, but this ended in the 
usual method, of rather strengthening than 
impeding the cause : the work of proselytism 
gradually advanced, and the number of con- 

p Koran, chap. xxvi. and lxxiv. q See Sale, Mills. 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 23 

verts in seven years must have been consi- 
derable, judging from the absence of eighty- 
three men and eighteen women, who retired 
to Ethiopia : his party was further fortified 
by the accession of his uncle Hamza, and 
Omar, who afterwards signalized himself so 
much in the cause of Islamism. Notwith- 
standing every attempt of the Koreish to 
crush the obnoxious sect, it increased under 
opposition. 

An event occurred in the tenth year of his 
mission, likely to prove of serious conse- 
quence to Mohammed and his followers, and 
this was the demise of his kind friend and 
patron, Abu-Taleb, at the advanced age of 
four-score years : the afflicting blow was 
succeeded by the death of his wife Khacli- 
jah. The Koreish, free from restraint, used 
every effort to crush the rising sect, but the 
fame and pretensions of Mohammed had 
gained ground not only at Mecca, but Me- 



24 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

dina, where a strong impression had been 
created in his favour by some converts. 

In the twelfth year, the singular story was 
fabricated of his pretended' journey from 

f Not having Abul-feda's work to refer to, I am indebted 
to Dr. Prideaux for the following account of the Night Jour- 
ney. Gibbon says Abul-feda wishes to think it a vision, that 
Prideaux aggravates the absurdities, and Gagnier declares 
from the zealous Al Jannabi, that to deny this journey, is to 
disbelieve the Koran. 

In the 12th year of his pretended mission, is placed the 
Mesra, that is, his famous night-journey from Mecca to Jeru- 
salem, and from thence to Heaven, of which he tells us in the 
17th chapter of his Alcoran. For the people calling on him 
for miracles to prove his mission, and he being able to work 
none, to solve the matter, he invents this story of his journey 
to Heaven, which must be acknowledged to have miracle 
enough in it, by all those who have faith to believe it. His 
relation of it is as followeth. At night, as he lay in his bed 
with his best beloved wife Ayesha, he heard a knocking at his 
door, whereon arising, he found there the angel Gabriel with 
seventy pair of wings expanded from his sides, whiter than 
snow and clearer than crystal, and the beast Alborak stand- 
ing by him, which they say is the beast on which the prophets 
used to ride, when they were carried from one place to ano- 
ther, upon the execution of any Divine command. Mahomet 
describes it to be a beast as white as milk, and of a mixed 
nature between an ass and a mule, and also of a size between 
both, and of that extraordinary swiftness, that his passing from- 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 25 

Mecca to Jerusalem, on a mysterious animal 

one place to another was as quick as that of lightning, and 
from thence it is that he had the name of Alborak, that word 
signifying lightning in the Arabic tongue. As soon as Ma- 
homet appeared at the door, the angel Gabriel most kindly- 
embracing him, did with a very sweet and pleasing counte- 
nance salute him in the name of God, and told him that he 
was sent to bring him unto God into heaven, where he should 
see strange mysteries, which were not lawful to be seen by any 
other man, and then bid him get upon the Alborak. But the 
beast, it seems, having long lain idle from the time of Christ 
till Mahomet (there having been no prophet in all that interval 
to employ him) was grown so resty and skittish, that he would 
not stand still for Mahomet to get up upon him, till at length 
he was forced to bribe him to it, by promising him a place in 
Paradise ; whereon having quietly taken him on his back, the 
angel Gabriel leading the way with the bridle of the beast in 
his hand, he carried him from Mecca to Jerusalem in the 
twinkling of an eye. On his coming thither, all the prophets 
and saints departed, appeared at the gate of the Temple to 
salute him, and from thence attending him into the chief 
oratory, desired him to pray for them, and then departed. 
Whereupon Mahomet with the angel Gabriel going out of the 
Temple, found there a ladder of light ready fixed for them, 
which they immediately ascended, leaving the Alborak there 
tied to a rock till their return. On their arrival at the first 
heaven, the angel Gabriel knocked at the gate, and having 
informed the porter who he was, and that he brought Maho- 
met, the friend of God, with him by the Divine command, the 
gates were immediately opened, which he describes to be of a 
prodigious largeness. This first heaven, he tells us, was all of 



26 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

called Al-borek, and from thence in the corn- 
pure silver, and that he there saw the stars hanging from it by 
chains of gold, each being of the bigness of Mount No-ho, 
near Mecca in Arabia ; and that in these stars angels kept 
watch and ward for the guard of heaven, to keep off the devils 
from approaching near it, lest they should overhear and know 
what was there done. On his first entering into this heaven, 
he saith, he met an old, decrepit man, and this was our first 
father Adam, who immediately embraced him, giving God 
thanks for so great a son, and then recommended himself to 
his prayers. As he entered further, he saw a multitude of 
angels of all manner of shapes ; some in that of men, others 
in that of birds, and others in that of beasts of all manner of 
sorts. And among those who appeared in the several shapes 
of birds, he there saw a cock of colour as white as snow, and 
of so prodigious a bigness, that his feet standing upon the first 
heaven, his head reached up to the second, which was at the 
distance of five hundred years' journey from it, according to 
the rate we usually travel here on earth. But others among 
them, as they relate this matter from their prophet, hyper- 
bolize much higher concerning it, telling us that the head of 
this cock reacheth up through all the seven heavens, as far as 
the throne of God, which is above seven times higher ; and 
in the description of him say, that his wings are all over 
decked with carbuncles and pearls, and that he extends the 
one of them to the east, and the other to the west, at a dis- 
tance proportionable to his height. Concerning all these the 
Impostor tells us, the angel Gabriel informed him, that they 
were angels which did from thence intercede with God for 
all living creatures on the earth. That those who interceded 
for men had there the shape of men ; that those who in- 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 27 

pany of Gabriel to heaven, where being ad- 

terceded for beasts, the shape of beasts ; and those who inter- 
ceded for birds, the shape of birds, according to their several 
kinds. And that as to the great cock, that he was the chief 
angel of the cocks ; that every morning God singing an holy 
hymn, this cock constantly joined with him in it by his crowing, 
which is so loud, that all hear it that are in heaven and earth, 
except men and fairies, and then all the other cocks that are 
in heaven and earth crow also. But when the day of judg- 
ment draws near, then God shall command him to draw in 
his wings and crow no more, which shall be a sign that that 
day is at hand, to all that are in heaven and earth, except 
men and fairies, who being afore deaf to his crowing, shall not 
then be sensible of his silence from it. And this cock the 
Mahometans look on to be in that great favour with God, 
that whereas it is a common saying among them, that there 
are three voices which God always hears ; they reckon the 
first the voice of him that is constant in reading the Alcoran ; 
the second, the voice of him that early every morning prayeth 
for the pardon of his sins ; and the third, the voice of this cock 
when he croweth, which they say is ever most acceptable unto 
him. All this stuff of the cock Abdallah helped Mahomet to, 
out of the Talmudists. For it is all borrowed from them with 
some little variation only, to make it look not totally the same. 
For in the tract, Bava Bathra, of the Babylonish Talmud, 
we have a story of such a prodigious bird, called Ziz, which 
standing with his feet upon the earth, reacheth up unto the 
heavens with his head, and with the spreading of his wings 
darkeneth the whole orb of the sun, and causeth a total eclipse 
thereof. This bird the Chaldee Paraphrast on the Psalms 
says, is a cock, which he describes of the same bigness, and 



28 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

mitted into the immediate presence of God, 

tells us that he crows before the Lord. And the Chaldee 
Paraphrast on Job also tells us of him, and of his crowing 
every morning before the Lord, and that God giveth him wis- 
dom for this purpose. What is farther said of this bird of the 
Talmudists, may be seen in Buxtorf 's Synagoga Judaica, cap. 
50, and in Purchas's Pilgrimage, lib. ii. cap. 20. 

From this first heaven, the Impostor tells us, he ascended 
up into the second, which was at the distance of five hundred 
years' journey above it, and this he makes to be the distance 
of every one of the seven heavens each above the other. Here 
the gates being opened unto him, as in the first heaven, at his 
entrance he met Noah, who rejoicing much at the sight of 
him, recommended himself to his prayers- In this heaven 
which was all made of pure gold, the Impostor tells us he saw 
twice as many angels as in the former, and among them one of 
a prodigious greatness. For his feet being placed on this 
second heaven, his head reached to the third. 

From this second heaven he ascended up into the third, 
which was made of precious stones ; where at the entrance he 
met Abraham, who also recommended himself to his prayers. 
And there he saw a vast many more angels than in the former 
heaven, and among them another great one of so prodigious a 
size, that the distance between his two eyes was as much as 
seventy thousand days' journey, according to our rate of tra- 
velling here on earth. But here Mahomet was out in his ma- 
thematics; for the distance between a man's eyes being in 
proportion to his height but as one to seventy-two, according 
to this rate, the height of this angel must have been near 
fourteen thousand years' journey, which is four times as much, 
as the height of all his seven heavens together and therefore 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED, 29 

he was favoured with particular regard : from 

it is impossible such an angel could ever stand within any one 
of them. But notwithstanding this, here he placeth him, and 
in his description of him, tells us, that he had before him a 
large table, in which he was continually writing and blotting 
out ; and that having asked the angel Gabriel of him, he was 
informed by him, that this was the angel of death, who conti- 
nually writes into the table, which he had before him, the 
names of all that are to be born, and there computes the days 
of their life, and as he finds they have completed the number 
assigned them, again blots them out, and that whoever hath 
his name thus blotted out by him, immediately dies. 

From hence he ascended up into the fourth heaven, which 
was all of emerald ; where at the entrance he met Joseph, the 
son of Jacob, who recommended himself to his prayers. And 
in this heaven he after saw a vastly larger number of angels 
than in the former, and among them another great angel, as 
high as from this fourth heaven to the fifth, who was conti- 
nually weeping, and making great lamentation and mourning ; 
and this, the angel Gabriel told him, was for the sins of men, 
and the destruction which they did thereby bring upon them- 
selves. 

From hence he ascended up into the fifth heaven, which 
was made of adamant, where he found Moses, who recom- 
mended himself to his prayers ; and there also he saw a much 
greater number of angels than in the former heaven. 

From hence he ascended up into the sixth heaven, which 
was all of carbuncle, where he found John the Baptist, who 
recommended himself to his prayers. And here he also saw 
the number of angels much increased beyond what he had 
seen in any of the former heavens. 



30 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

heaven he returned again to Jerusalem, and 

From hence he ascended up into the seventh heaven, which 
was all made of divine light, and here he found Jesus Christ, 
where it is to be observed, he alters his style. For he saith 
not, that Jesus Christ recommendeth himself to his prayers, 
but that he recommended himself to Jesus Christ, desiring him 
to pray for him ; whereby he acknowledged him certainly to 
be the greater. But it was his usage, through the whole 
scene of his imposture, thus to flatter the Christians on all 
occasions. Here he saith, he found a much greater number 
of angels than in all the other heavens besides, and among 
them one extraordinary angel having seventy thousand heads, 
and in every head seventy thousand tongues, and every tongue 
uttering seventy thousand distinct voices at the same time, 
with which he continued day and night incessantly praising 
God. 

The angel Gabriel having brought him thus far, told him, 
that it was not permitted him to go any farther, and there- 
fore directed him to ascend up the rest of the way to the 
throne of God by himself, which, he saith, he performed with 
great difficulty, passing through waters and snow, and many 
other such difficult passages, till he came where he heard a 
voice saying unto him, " O Mahomet, salute thy Crea- 
tor ;" from whence ascending higher, he came into a place 
where he saw a vast extension of light, of that exceeding 
brightness, that his eyes could not bear it, and this was the 
habitation of the Almighty, where his throne was placed, on 
the right side of which, he says, God's name and his own 
were written in these Arabic words, La ellah ellallah Mo- 
hammed resul ellah, i. e. There is no God but God, and 
Mahomet is his Prophet ; which is the creed of the Maho- 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 31 

afterwards to Mecca, performing in the tenth 

metans, which words, he also says, he found written upon all 
the gates of the seven heavens, which he passed through. 
Being approached to the presence of God, as near as within 
two bow-shots, he tells us he saw him, sitting on his throne, 
with a covering of seventy thousand veils before his face ; 
that on his drawing thus near, in sign of his favour, he put 
forth his hand, and laid it upon him, which was of that ex- 
ceeding coldness, that it pierced to the very marrow of his 
back, and he could not bear it. That after this, God enter- 
ing into a very familiar converse with him, revealed unto him 
a great many hidden mysteries, made him understand the 
whole of his law, and gave him many things in charge con- 
cerning his instructing men in the knowledge of it ; and, in 
conclusion, bestowed on him several privileges above the rest 
of mankind. As that he should be the perfectest of all 
creatures ; that at the day of judgment he should be ho- 
noured and advanced above the rest of mankind ; that he 
should be the redeemer of all that believe in him ; that he 
should have the knowledge of all languages ; and, lastly, 
that the spoils of all whom he should conquer in war, should 
belong to him alone. And then returning, he found the 
angel Gabriel tarrying for him, in the place where he left 
him, who, conducting him back again through all the seven 
heavens the same way that he brought him, did set him again 
upon the Alborak, which he left tied at Jerusalem ; and then 
taking the bridle in his hand, conducted him back to Mecca 
in the same manner as he brought him thence, and all this 
within the space of the tenth part of one night. — See Pri- 
deaux's Life of Mahomet. 



32 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

part of a night the journey of many thousand 
years \ 

Great as was the credulity of his followers, 
many were offended and left, but Abu-beker, 
his successor in the regal and pontifical dig- 
nity, vouching for the veracity of the Pro- 
phet, preserved his tottering reputation at 
this critical juncture, and saved his sinking 
cause. Mohammed perceived affairs taking 
such a turn at Mecca, that longer continu- 
ance there would be perilous in the extreme : 
at first he was undecided as to the place of 
retreat, but at length Medina appeared the 
most eligible asylum. His retreat is consi- 
dered as miraculous by the Musulmans, and 
frequently adverted to in the Koran \ a regu- 
lar conspiracy had been formed by the Ko- 
reish for his assassination, and he was pre- 
served only by the magnanimity of Ali, who 

s See Koran, chap. 17. * Ibid. chap. 8, 9. 36. 



LTFE OF MOHAMMED. 33 

averted the blow by personating the Prophet 
in his house, and thus affording him time for 
escape u . Being pursued by the Koreish, and 
accompanied only by Abu-beker, he sought 
refuge in a cave, where a circumstance that 
transpired strongly displays his enthusiasm : 
" We are only two," said his companion in a 
desponding tone, " there is a third, replied 
the Prophet, and that is God, he will defend 
us 31 ." The lance of an Arab, it has been 
observed, might now have changed the His- 
tory of the World 7 . The fugitives, on their 
road to Medina, were overtaken by a party 
of the Koreish, but redeemed themselves by 
prayers and promises from their hands. After 
several narrow escapes, they arrived at the 
place of their destination, where Ali, having 
adjusted his affairs at Mecca, joined them 



u See Koran, chap. 8, and note. 
* Ibid. chap. 8. Sale, Mills. 
y See Gibbon. 

D 



34 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

about three days after. The flight gave birth 
to the Mohammedan aera of computing time, 
and is supposed to have occurred about the 
year of our Lord 622 2 . A powerful party 
welcomed him with acclamation, he assumed 
the regal and sacerdotal dignity, and his 
interest was further strengthened by the 
marriage of his daughter Fatima, the only 
surviving child of his wife Khadijah, to his 
cousin Ali. Here, having purchased a small 
portion of land, the patrimony of two or- 
phans, he erected a mosque for the duties of 
religion and officiated there, when he prayed 
and preached in the weekly assembly in a 
style of rude simplicity, leaning against the 
trunk of a palm-tree. 

Few can hold the cup of prosperity with 
an even hand : henceforward the lustre of 
his character is tarnished : he lays aside re- 
straint, and gives the rein to his passions. 

z See Sale, Mills. 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 35 

Instead of setting an example of conformity 
to his own precepts, favourable as they were 
to indulgence, by allowing his followers four, 
in the whole, either wives or concubines, he 
claims a greater latitude, and by special 
favour nine females were allotted to himself. 
But even this did not satisfy the Prophet : 
the grossness of his amours can only be 
equalled by the impiety of making them the 
subject of revelation and divine interference : 
witness the amour with Mary the Egyptian, 
and the revelation that ensued a : his affair 
with the wife of his freeman Zeid b : witness 
the vindication of Ayesha, when suspected of 
nuptial infidelity , and other arrangements 
specifically appointed by heaven for the wives 
of the Prophet d . 

Notwithstanding all the efforts of his fol- 
lowers at vindication, regarding it as typical 

a See Koran, chap. 66, b Ibid. chap. 33. 

c Ibid. chap. 24. d Ibid. chap. 33. 

D 2 



36 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

of the greater privileges of believers under 
his dispensation, such gross inconsistency 
must ever form an insuperable objection to 
his prophetical character. His public pro- 
ceedings are directly opposed to his former 
declarations. The gentle and patient teacher 
and admonisher at Mecca, he who for thirteen 
years had opposed the dissentients there with 
meek endurance, now renounces his former 
principles, and grasps the sword which was 
henceforth considered as the key of Paradise ! 
Conversion or tribute was the alternative 
allowed the Christians and Jews ; whilst the 
Pagans had no choice between conversion 
and death ! 

Mohammed had discovered at Mecca, 
after the most unremitting exertion, the slow 
progress of Prosely tism from preaching only : 
to encounter perpetual opposition, to have 
that opposition renewed in various modes 
and different quarters, without ability to 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 37 

convince, or power to over-awe, presents a 
grievous trial and hopeless prospect to the 
feelings of an enthusiast, and no wonder he 
grew weary of the course, and when power 
shewed a readier path, determined to uphold 
his favourite tenets by compulsion. Some 
intimation of a change of system had been 
given in the 22nd chapter of the Koran, which 
was revealed a little before his flight from 
Mecca; but the 8th and 9th chapters deli- 
vered at Medina are decidedly of a warlike 
complexion. All his manoeuvres are charac- 
terized by deep sagacity and consummate 
policy. He powerfully works upon the pas- 
sions and superstitious feelings of his fol- 
lowers, which were constantly raised to a pitch 
of high excitement, and never suffered to 
subside. On all emergencies a transcript 
from the mysterious volume of heaven was 
produced to fix their wavering resolutions, 
and stamp the approbation of God on his 



38 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

undertakings. With such an engine ever ready 
for action, Mohammed's course was success- 
ful, and difficulties vanished. Whatever suited 
his purpose was carefully registered in the 
mystic page. Every instance of good fortune 
was described as a direct interposition of God; 
failure or defeat were attributed to their 
own sins of disobedience, or designed to ex- 
ercise and prove their virtues. Fighting for 
the faith was extolled as a most meritorious 
service, and death in the cause as a certain 
passport to the distinguished joys of Para- 
dise : they were further instructed to believe, 
that when the destined hour arrived, fate 
could neither be retarded or averted, but 
would overtake them in the security of their 
dwellings, as well as amidst the shock of 
battle. The enthusiasm and devotion of his 
troops were thus unbounded. Nothing was 
difficult to men so excited. They were fight- 
ing in the presence of the Prophet of Heaven : 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 39 

if victorious, glory and riches awaited them ; 
but, if doomed to fall in the ensanguined field, 
their brows would be encircled with the mar- 
tyr's crown ! 

Whilst all was fervour and enthusiasm 
among them, Mohammed, like the presiding 
genius of the storm, was cool and collected, 
controlling and directing the ardour of his 
troops to the accomplishment of his self-in- 
terested and ambitious projects. His first at- 
tacks were directed against the caravans, to 
revenge himself on the Koreish, by which 
plunder was acquired. The battle of Beder e , 
in the second year of the Hegira, tended prin- 
cipally to establish his reputation, and is the 
continued theme of Arabian panegyric, as 

e The Koran, (c. 8.) speaking of the victory of Beder, 
says, " God diminished your numbers in their eyes :" the 
Arabian Commentators endeavour to reconcile the contradic- 
tion by observing, that just before the battle begun, the Pro- 
phet's army seemed fewer than they were, to bring the enemy 
to an engagement, but afterwards they appeared superior, to 
terrify and dismay their adversaries. 



40 LIFE OF MOHAMMEI?, 

well as frequently adverted to in the Koran ; 
for, though fought on a small scale, several 
miraculous circumstances were feigned to have 
attended it, the belief of which was of essen- 
tial service to his cause. Mohammed's forces 
were said to have consisted of no more than 
319 men f , whilst the Koreish were nearly a 
thousand strong, yet, notwithstanding such a 
disparity of numbers, he routed and van- 
quished them, killing seventy, and taking an 
equal number of prisoners, with the loss to 
himself of only fourteen individuals. 

The Koran points out three things as mira- 
culous in this engagement. 

1st. Mohammed, by the direction of Ga- 
briel, at a crisis of danger, took a handful of 
gravel, and threw it towards the enemy, ex- 
claiming, " May their faces be confounded/' 
But though apparently the Prophet cast it 
at them himself, the Koran gravely affirms 

f Koran, chap. 3. 8. 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 41 

that it was not He, but God, who did it by 
the ministry of the angel. 

2ndly. It is positively declared, that the 
troops of Mohammed seemed to the hostile 
squadron twice as numerous as they really 
were. 

3dly. That God dismissed to their assist- 
ance first 1000, and afterwards 3000 angels, 
under Gabriel, who are said to have done all 
the execution, though it is acknowledged 
that the troops acquitted themselves he- 
roically, and from appearances might justly 
arrogate the credit of the victory to them- 
selves. The Prophet here most adroitly 
pretends to have received directions re- 
specting the division of the spoil, which 
the Koran orders to be divided equally 
amongst them, with the reservation of a fifth 
part for particular purposes. Thus he accom- 
plished a point of great difficulty with rob- 
bers and freebooters, amongst whom autho- 



42 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

rity rests on a very precarious tenure ; and 
all enactments and interference, where their 
interest is concerned, are regarded with a 
very jealous eye, and pregnant with danger ; 
and having thus become quietly possessed of 
the sinews of war, he was provided for enter- 
prises of greater magnitude. 

Troops, constituted like his, would be liable 
to one disadvantage ; the difficulty would be 
to restrain their enthusiasm within due limits, 
or inspire confidence after defeat ; and here 
the rare assemblage of talents in Mohammed 
command our admiration. 

The Koreish, to avenge their loss at Beder, 
attacked him the following year, being the 
third of the Hegira, with a vast superiority 
of force, at Ohod, a mountain about four 
miles to the north of Medina ; the advantage 
at first was on Mohammed's side, but after- 
wards, in consequence of the archers' leaving 
their ranks for the sake of plunder, they were 

8 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 43 

encompassed and surrounded by the enemy's 
cavalry : the Prophet himself was wounded, 
and narrowly escaped with life ; seventy Mos- 
lems were slain, and amongst them Hamza, 
the uncle and standard-bearer of Mohammed. 
The Koreish wanted strength or courage to 
pursue their advantages, by laying siege to 
Medina ; and the Musulmans rallied again. 
The following specimen of his skill in restoring 
the spirits of his party, is in the third chapter 
of the Koran : " It was," he says, " to try 
and prove them. We cause these days of 
different success interchangeably to succeed 
each other among men, that God may know 

those who believe, and have martyrs from 
among you ; and that God might prove those 

that believe, and destroy the infidels." He 
further says, " Thou shalt by no means reckon 
those that have been slain in the cause of God 
at Ohod, dead ; nay, they are sustained alive 
with their Lord, rejoicing for what God of 



44 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

his favour has granted them, and being glad 
for those who, coming after them, have not as 
yet overtaken them ; because there shall no 
fear come on them, neither shall they be 
grieved. They are filled with joy for the fa- 
vour which they have received from God and 
his bounty, and that for that God suffereth 
not the reward of the faithful to perish.' J 

The third and last expedition of the Koreish 
is variously named, from the nations who 
marched under the banners of Abu-Sophian, 
and from the ditch drawn before the city. 
A tempest of wind and hail, and mutual dis- 
agreements, separated the confederates. Mo- 
hammed improves these incidents to his ad- 
vantage g . " O true believers, remember the 
favour of God towards you, when armies of 
infidels came against you, and we sent against 
them a wind, and hosts of angels, which ye 
saw not," &c. 

s Koran, chap. 35. 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 45 

The Jews were visited with his deepest 
vengeance : the Jewish tribe of Kainoka was 
driven from Medina, to implore a refuge on 
the confines of Syria. The Nadhirites, who 
surrendered at discretion, perhaps with the 
expectation of mercy, experienced the vanity 
of their hopes in the humanity of the Pro- 
phet 11 . Seven hundred Jews were dragged 
in chains to the market-place at Medina : 
they descended alive into the grave prepared 
for their execution and burial, and the apostle 
beheld, with an inflexible eye, the slaughter 
of his helpless enemies \ 

After having reduced Chaibar, the chief 
was tortured in the presence of Mohammed, 
to force a confession of his hidden treasure, 

h Mohammed at one time destroyed nearly seven hundred 
Koradhites, his prisoners, under aggravating circumstances 
of cruelty. The command was not issued in the heat of 
action, when his passions were inflamed by opposition, but on 
his return to Medina, after a considerable time had elapsed 
for his anger to cool. — See Koran, chap. 33, note. 

* Gibbon. Koran, chap. 33. 



46 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

and here he narrowly escaped being poisoned. 
A Jewish female, with a view to ascertain the 
truth of his prophetical pretensions, placed 
before him at supper a poisoned dish k ; one 
of his companions fell a victim, and it is 
supposed, that Mohammed, who partook of it 
more sparingly, never recovered from the fatal 
effects. It is superfluous to enter into the 
details of the various battles where victory and 
defeat eventually promoted his cause ; some 
reckon no less than twenty-seven expeditions 
in which Mohammed was personally present. 
The eyes of the Prophet were constantly di- 
rected towards Mecca : he proceeded against 
it : his attack was not successful, but ended 
in a truce for 10 years, which still strength- 
ened his power. 

At length in the 8th year of the Hegira, 
with 10,000 men devoted to his service, he 
again attacked Mecca, on account of the vio- 

k Prideaux, Sale, Gibbon. 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 47 

lation of the agreement entered into with him, 
and took possession of it, purging the temple 
of its idols, and fixing there the chief seat of 
his religion. The people professed Islam, and 
he was enthroned as the Prince and Prophet 
of his native country. The next, the 9th year 
of the Hegira, the Moslems term the year of 
embassies, for ambassadors flocked from all 
quarters to form or seek alliance, both at 
Mecca while he staid there, and at Medina, 
whither he returned this year. 

His conquests rapidly increased till his 
death : his mortal disease was a bilious fever 
which occasionally affected his reason, and 
originated, as is thought, from the poison 
taken two years before. His enthusiasm ac- 
companied him to the last hour of expiring 
nature. The Prophet seems wrought to such 
a pitch as to imagine himself an instrument 
in the hand of Heaven for accomplishing par- 
ticular purposes. If however according to 



48 LIFE OF MOHAMMED, 

his own principles, success denoted the divine 
approbation, the dazzling height to which he 
was exalted might affect his mind : after en- 
deavouring so long to deceive others, he 
might end in self-deception, or be given over 
to strong delusion. Many have evinced the 
master-passion strong in death. Cromwell, 
who with high religious professions, like him 

." Waded through seas of slaughter to the throne," 

employed his last prayer in intercession for 
his country. Previous to his dissolution, Mo- 
hammed tendered restitution to all whom he 
had injured, and is said to have expressed his 
lively confidence, not only of the mercy, but 
favour of the Supreme Being. When his fa- 
culties were visibly impaired, he called for 
pen and ink to write or dictate something of 
importance, but Omar observed that his pre- 
cepts were engraven on their hearts, and no 
further revelation was necessary. Having 



LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 49 

mentioned that the Angel of Death could not 
take his soul without his permission, the re- 
quest was granted, and he expired in the 
apartment of Ayesha, A.D. 632, in the 63d 
year of his age. For some time his followers 
were inconsolable, and almost incredulous to 
the reality of their loss, but their love was 
manifested in paying the last tribute of res- 
pect to his remains, which were honourably 
interred at Medina, in the room where he 
died ', We are told " that the innumerable 
pilgrims of Mecca often turn aside from the 
way to bow in voluntary devotion before the 
simple tomb of the Prophet m ." 

Thus from small beginnings, aided by a 
peculiarly favourable concurrence of circum- 
stances and a rare combination of talent, this 
extraordinary personage reached the pinnacle 
of earthly power, having united the various 
independent tribes in one faith, and under one 

1 Gibbon. m Gibbon, Mills. 

E 



50 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 

particular form of government, and laid the 
foundations of an empire which, under the 
Caliphs, his immediate successors, surpassed 
imperial Rome in extent of territory and po- 
pulation ; and still continues at this day, in 
one part of Europe and in most parts of Asia 
and Africa ! 






CHAPTER II. 



SUCCESS ABSTRACTEDLY CONSIDERED AFFORDS NO CRI- 
TERION OF A DIVINE ORIGINAL ! CHRISTIANITY AND 
ISLAMISM CONTRASTED *. THE SUCCESS OF THE FORMER 
SHEWN TO BE MIRACULOUS, THAT OF THE LATTER 
ACCOUNTED FOR ON ORDINARY PRINCIPLES, WAS CON- 
SONANT WITH PROPHECY, AND WILL ULTIMATELY 
PROVE BENEFICIAL TO TRUTH. 

There is something more imposing than 
substantial in a series of successful enterprises, 
the imagination is led captive and the judg- 
ment too often biassed, so that there is dan- 
ger of losing sight of the merits of a cause, 
through impressions created by adventitious 
circumstances. History and experience, how- 
ever, concur in establishing the fact, that 
talents and events, suitably directed and im- 
proved by individuals or states, will, in the 

e 2 



52 CAUSES OF SUCCESS. 

ordinary operation of cause and effect, lead 
to temporary or more permanent advan- 
tages; whilst the abuse or non-improve- 
ment of talents and opportunities will prove 
detrimental to individuals or states. In the 
providential administration of the world, ac- 
cording to the best judgment we can form, 
the means and end are inseparably con- 
nected ; and therefore when success may be 
accounted for on ordinary principles, to 
ascribe it to the direct interposition of hea- 
ven is an illogical and unsatisfactory mode 
of arguing, for if such a proposition were 
admitted, even truth would be variable and 
dependent on the ever fluctuating vicissitudes 
of human affairs, rather than grounded on 
the impregnable basis of internal and exter- 
nal evidence. 

Since, however, this argument has fre- 
quently been urged in favour of the claims 
of Islamism to a divine original, its fallacy 



CAUSES OF SUCCESS. 53 

may be exposed by remarking, that Budd- 
hism or Paganism, under various forms, has 
unfortunately the greatest numerical ascen- 
dancy, and by parity of reason is entitled 
to the same distinction, which is absurd. 
Christianity and Islamism may indeed be 
considered as nearly equal in point of num- 
bers, but their character, doctrines, eviden- 
ces, and the means by which they attained 
their present height, are essentially different, 
as will appear by instituting a comparison 
between the two systems. 

The world was Pagan, except the Jews, 
when Christianity preferred her claims, and 
challenged exclusive homage and respect ; 
and the principle of Revelation was not so 
generally acknowledged. There was a firm, 
unyielding inflexibility in the religion of Jesus, 
adverse to its early reception, or extensive 
dissemination. No favour was conceded to 
any other mode of worship, but annihilation 



54 CAUSES OF SUCCESS. 

threatened to every altar and temple through- 
out the world. Its doctrines were not accom- 
modating in any sense of the expression, but 
directly the reverse ; truths were propounded 
beyond the wisdom of man fully to compre- 
hend, such as the doctrines of the Trinity, 
the Incarnation of the Saviour, and salvation 
through him, which are confessedly preter- 
natural discoveries, but to which we are re- 
quired to yield assent. As to precepts, Chris- 
tianity lays the axe at the root of every vice, 
inculcating the eternal obligation of the moral 
law, " a death unto sin, and a new birth unto 
righteousness." No temporal inducements 
were offered to its followers, but persecutions 
and affliction foretold ; and there was hardly 
a tribunal before which the primitive con- 
verts were not dragged, or a torture which 
they did not endure, and many sealed their 
testimony with their blood. 

Though Jesus was lineally descended from 



CAUSES OF SUCCESS. 55 

King David, agreeably to ancient prophecy, 
yet his family was reduced to poverty and 
insignificance, and both his connections and 
followers were of humble occupations and 
without worldly influence. The period cho- 
sen for its publicity was a time of peace, most 
favourable to investigation, and an age emi- 
nent for literature. It was assailed from 
every quarter. The Jews despised the humi- 
lity of the Messiah, though in agreement with 
Scripture, as the death-blow to their expecta- 
tions of temporal distinction and sovereignty: 
the doctrines of Jesus were, for obvious rea- 
sons, accounted foolishness with the Greeks ; 
and the Romans loathed Christianity, being in 
their opinion a Jewish superstition. 

Thus prejudices and obstacles insurmount- 
able by human power, impeded the way; its 
utter extinction might be anticipated ; yet 
under such circumstances it struck root and 
prospered. Jesus did not indulge in privacy 



56 CAUSES OF SUCCESS. 

or screen himself under a pretended inter- 
course with heaven, but openly produced his 
credentials, and wrought miracles in confir- 
mation of his mission. He appealed also to the 
Scriptures and the understanding of mankind, 
and violence was wholly disclaimed. With 
unparalleled meekness he bore with the infir- 
mities of his disciples, resolving doubts, en- 
lightening their understandings, and instruct- 
ing them as they were able to bear it, in the 
spiritual nature of his kingdom. When ex- 
erting miraculous power, he endeavoured to 
impress their minds with the superior value 
of the Message with which he was charged : 
and investing them with ability to perform 
miracles, he told them to rejoice rather that 
their names were written in the book of life : 
he did not attempt so much to raise their 
wonder as to ground them in the truth. At 
the transfiguration, when partially glorified, 
Peter, James and John alone were admitted 



CAUSES OF SUCCESS. 57 

to the heavenly vision, with injunctions not 
to disclose it till the proper time. His efforts 
were unceasingly bent to instruct them in the 
necessity of his death, the manner and parti- 
culars of which he at the same time foretold, 
as also his resurrection on the third day, his 
ascension into glory, and the descent of the 
Holy Spirit; the destruction of the Jewish 
temple, and polity, and the subsequent spread 
and enlargement of his kingdom. When his 
decease was accomplished at Jerusalem, and 
he had risen the third day from the dead, for 
forty days he appeared publicly, and taught 
them further in the things pertaining to him, 
and promised the aid of the Comforter: hav- 
ing led them out to Bethany, he visibly as- 
cended into heaven in their presence, and 
agreeably to his promise sent the Holy Ghost 
on his disciples, on the day of Pentecost, 
enabling them to speak in different languages 
before astonished multitudes, and furnishing 



58 CAUSES OF SUCCESS. 

them with gifts and graces for the exercise of 
their ministry. The same day were added to 
them, as the first-fruits of extended conver- 
sion, about three thousand souls. Every thing 
occurred agreeably to the predictions of our 
Lord ; — Jerusalem was destroyed, and the 
disciples scattered in different parts, where 
churches were planted, and the work advanced 
and gained ground every where. Still, from 
mistaken views and prejudices, Christianity 
underwent long persecution. Ten Emperors, 
from Nero to Dioclesian, employed all the 
power of the sword to extirpate it, till at 
length, under Constantine % it flourished and 
became the established religion of the Roman 
empire. From that period, though the 
causes of its success may be regarded as of a 
more mixed description, still it may be af- 
firmed that its merits were better appreciated : 
it invited investigation and the strictest scru- 

a A.D. 325. 



CAUSES OF SUCCESS. 59 

tiny into its evidence, and the attacks made 
on it were successfully repelled by those ex- 
cellent apologies and masterly defences which 
have been transmitted to our days, and may 
still be read with pleasure and edification. 
The learning and piety of its professors have 
for successive generations been signally dis- 
played in every branch of argument, and its 
beneficial influence on society has been so well 
attested, that we may safely augur its future 
triumphs and eventual ascendancy. 

A decided contrast to all this appears in 
the religion of Mohammed ! The claims of 
revelation had been extensively allowed : pre- 
ceding dispensations had smoothed many dif- 
ficulties in the way of his attempt. Various 
concessions were made to render his religion 
palatable. And to what did he invite his 
followers ? To newness of heart and life ? 
To the practice of self-denial ? The sacrifice 
of interest and ease ? No : in these respect* 



60 CAUSES OF SUCCESS. 

Islamism had great advantages over Chris- 
tianity. The early converts succeeded to 
places of trust and profit, all were exhorted to 
unite themselves with a rising cause, " Cast 
in thy lot among us, let us have one purse/ J 
The wealth and influence of Mohammed and 
his connections, his time-serving policy, his 

fame and pretensions as a prophet, the enthu- 
siasm inspired into his troops, fighting the 
battles of heaven by the side of its accredited 
agent; those seducing tenets, the doctrine of 
inevitable fate, and the highest heavens to 
those who were slain ; death or tribute to the 
vanquished, the religious and political situa- 
tion of the independent tribes in Arabia, split 
into factions, but without any preponderating 
power, and requiring only a suitable direction 
to be given to their energies, together with 
the disturbed condition of the neighbouring 
kingdoms and the dismemberment of the 
Roman empire : these all formed a body of 



CAUSES OF SUCCESS. 61 

events highly favourable to Mohammed's en- 
terprise b . 

After his flight from Mecca, the reception 
he experienced at Medina from a powerful 
party there, sufficiently accounts for his future 
celebrity. It has been remarked, " that the 
Religion of the Koran might have perished 
in its cradle, had not Medina embraced with 
faith and reverence the holy outcasts of 
Mecca c ." The essential assistance derived from 
Christianity must be taken into calculation. 
In different ages, men of mighty minds have 

b " Does it seem incredible, that a private citizen should 
grasp the sword and the sceptre, subdue his native country, and 
erect a monarchy by his victorious arms? In the moving pictures 
of the Dynasties of the East, an hundred fortunate usurpers 
have arisen from a lower origin, surmounted more formidable 
obstacles, and filled a larger scope of empire and conquest. 
Mahomet was alike instructed to preach and to fight, and the 
union of these opposite qualities, while it enhanced his merit, 
contributed to his success : the operation of force and per- 
suasion, of enthusiasm and fear, continually acted on each 
other, till every barrier yielded to their irresistible power." — 
Gibbon. 

c See Gibbon. 



62 CAUSES OF SUCCESS, 

duly estimated the influence of Religion, and 
adopted various contrivances to give its pow- 
erful sanction and support to their favourite 
projects. Thus the pretended spiritual inter- 
course of Numa Pompilius with the goddess 
Egeria, and the familiar spirit of Socrates may 
be accounted for. Lycurgus also endeavoured 
to work in a similar manner on the supersti- 
tion of his countrymen, to effect what he 
conceived a national benefit : after finishing 
his celebrated institutes, he exacted a promise 
from the Spartans of their adherence to them 
till released by the oracle, which he went to 
consult, and from which he purposely never 
returned ; and such was their veneration for 
the Legislator, and religious feelings, that his 
code remained in force at Sparta, with small 
interruption, for about the space of 700 years. 
The only alternative in Mohammed's power 
as a Religionist, was either to frame a new 
system, or graft his own on preceding ones of 



CAUSES OF SUCCESS. 63 

acknowledged weight and credibility. Had 
he formed a new plan, comprising the unity 
of the Deity, probably we should not have 
heard of him at this day, otherwise than as 
the Leader of an obscure sect ; but he had 
materials at hand far superior to what Lycur- 
gus or others possessed, and penetration and 
sagacity to employ them in the way best cal- 
culated to promote his wicked and ambitious 
designs. The claims of Christianity and Ju- 
daism were recognised to a far greater extent 
than mere superstition ever influenced ; he 
chose higher ground therefore, and wielded 
weapons more formidable than had ever been 
tried by mortal hands before : by transfusing 
a certain portion of Christianity into the 
Koran, he cast, as it were, a vivifying prin- 
ciple into the otherwise dull, inert mass, giv- 
ing it a plausibility and consistence, sufficient 
to pass at a dark, benighted period, before 
printing was discovered, while knowledge was 

9 



64 CAUSES OF SUCCESS. 

at a low ebb, and access to sources of imfor- 
mation difficult. The aid thus obtained proved 
a passport and introduction into many places 
where some knowledge of Christianity and 
Judaism had previously entered. The natural 
discernment of Mohammed comprehended 
the full effect and superior efficacy of such a 
plan, and, in addition to the superstition of 
his countrymen, he enlisted the most powerful 
auxiliaries that could be employed in any 
cause. By this deep and politic mode of pro- 
cedure, he laid the foundation of a dominion, 
composed indeed of heterogeneous materials, 
but kept together by the power of the sword, 
and likely to continue so, till the superior 
force of truth, slow yet sure in its progress, 
should overthrow and reduce the motley 
fabric to its original insignificance. 

This religion is indebted for its continu- 
ance from its being so closely interwoven 
with the state, that they must stand or fall 



CAUSES OF SUCCESS. 65 

together, from the ignorance in which the 
Moslems are kept, from the difficulties op- 
posed to discussion, and the severities prac- 
tised on those who renounce the errors of 
Islamism. But however second causes ope- 
rated, so that at length the great apostasy 
acquired " a local habitation and a name," 
and now rears its presumptuous front to hea- 
ven, as if in the attitude of stern defiance, we 
may be allowed here to acknowledge the 
finger of Omnipotence, working by the use 
of the means, allowing them to effect their 
legitimate objects, but overruling and re- 
straining them within suitable boundaries. 
The Christian regards Mohammedanism as 
a branch of Anti-Christ, of which it clearly 
possesses the marks and properties : he con- 
siders its predominance as a judicial inflic- 
tion by reason of transgression, and agree- 
ably with prophecy d , the righteous recom- 

d Dan. viii. 12. 
F 



66 CAUSES OF SUCCESS. 

pence of unthankfulness, and abuse of mer- 
cies and privileges. Hence this illusion of 
Satan was permitted, like a scorpion, to sting 
those who had not the name of God written 
on their foreheads, or sincerity in their hearts. 
The Eastern provinces of the empire were 
afflicted 150 years by this scourge, till the 
peninsula of Arabia began to withdraw its 
allegiance from the Caliphs. 

Whilst the degeneracy of the Eastern 
Church was thus punished by means of these 
avengers, other wonderful events in Provi- 
dence were receiving accomplishment. Ish- 
mael, according to prophecy, was to become 
a great nation e , from whose lineage Moham- 
med boasted his descent, so that the pre- 
diction may be regarded as verified in him. 
This abomination also, according to many 
expositors, was pointed out to the prophet 
Daniel f , under the similitude of the little 

e Gen. xxi. 13. * Dan. vii. 8. 



CAUSES OF SUCCESS. 67 

horn, which sprung up among the horns of 
the great and terrible beast of the Roman 
Empire, destroying three of them, viz. the 
Asiatics, Grecians, and Egyptians, with eyes 
indicative of craft and vigilance, and with a 
mouth speaking great things, no doubt, in 
reference to its arrogance and blasphemy. 
" I considered the horns/' says Daniel, " and 
behold there came up among them another 
little horn, before whom there were three of 
the first horns plucked up by their roots, 
and behold in this horn were eyes like the 
eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great 
things/' The prophet proceeds g , " I would 
fain know the truth of that horn, that had 
eyes and a mouth that spake very great 
things, whose look was more stout than his 
fellows. " 

A further description is given , " Out of 
them came forth a little horn, which waxed 

g Dan. vii. 19, 20. h Ibid. viii. 9, 10, &c. 

r 2 



68 CAUSES OF SUCCESS. 

exceeding great toward the South, and to- 
ward the East, and toward the pleasant land. 
And it waxed great even to the host of hea- 
ven ; and it cast down some of the host and 
of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon 
them. Yea, he magnified himself even to 
the Prince of the host, and by him the daily 
sacrifice was taken away, and the place of 
his sanctuary was cast down. And an host 
was given him against the daily sacrifice by 
reason of transgression, and it cast down the 
truth to the ground, and it practised and 
prospered. " 

Here this Anti-Christian power is repre- 
sented as waxing exceeding great from small 
beginnings, employing his fury against the 
host of heaven, by which the worshippers of 
God are meant ; casting down some of the 
stars, or in other words, the brightest lumi- 
naries of the Church, and stamping upon 
them ; magnifying himself against Christ, the 



CAUSES OF SUCCESS. 69 

Prince of princes, polluting and casting down 
the sanctuary, that is the Church of Christ ; 
taking away the daily sacrifice of prayer and 
praise, or the sacred ordinances, casting the 
truth to the ground, and prospering in his 
iniquity. 

Our Saviour Christ and his disciples fre- 
quently spoke of false Christs and prophets, 
declensions from the faith, seducing lies and 
doctrines of devils : the man of sin and the 
apostasy of the latter times 1 . The beloved 
disciple John, in a vision in the isle of Pat- 
mos was favoured with a vision of the same 
Antichristian power, under the similitude of a 
star fallen from heaven k , having the key of 
the bottomless pit, where, in the figurative 
language of prophecy, Antichrist is described 
as obscuring the light of the Gospel, and af- 
flicting the earth with a particularity of cir- 

1 2 Thess. ii. 3—12 ; 1 Tim. iv. 1—3. 
k Rev. ix. 1 &c. 



70 CAUSES OF SUCCESS. 

cumstances, allowed by many to be strikingly 
applicable to the Arabians, when engaged in 
the work of havoc and devastation. 

Satan no doubt meditated much mischief, 
if not utter extinction to the Church ; the 
former he was permitted to effect, but he who 
" rides in the whirlwind and directs the storm' J 
restrained the remainder of his wrath, and 
over-ruled it for other purposes. 

As the dispersion of the Jews, after the 
destruction of their city and temple, and 
their continued preservation amongst all na- 
tions, as at this day, has greatly benefited 
the cause of our holy religion ; so this remark- 
able foil to Christianity is not without its use. 
The fleeting names of many heresies are ab- 
sorbed in the gulf of time, or known only to 
the learned, leaving but a faint impression of 
the struggles and conflicts in which the truth 
has been involved; but here is a system of 
error, of appalling magnitude, developed in 



CAUSES OF SUCCESS. 71 

its origin, progress and effects, not adapted 
only for the contemplation of the learned, but 
level to the commonest understanding. Such 
a practical exemplification of cause and effect 
must prepare the way for the introduction 
and reception of that faith, which though so 
lamentably perverted, was designed as an 
antidote to such evils, and is now the only 
effectual remedy. The grand apostasy will 
end in the appointed season : the ways and 
means are at the disposal of Omnipotence, 
but we are certain as to the result, which will 
prove glorious to the Church ! 

" O goodness infinite, goodness immense 
That all this good of evil will produce, 
And evil turn to good !" 

Since then the success of Mohammed in 
his imposture may be fairly resolved into 
natural causes, is in perfect unison with 
Scripture, and may after all be designed to 
answer important purposes, all arguments as- 



72 CAUSES OF SUCCESS. 

signing a divine original to Islamism on ac- 
count of its prevalence and extent, are incon- 
clusive and unsatisfactory. The much boasted 
pre-eminence of the Koran remains next for 
consideration. 



CHAPTER III. 



SOME ACCOUNT OF THE KORAN, CITATIONS ILLUSTRATIVE 
OF ITS DISTINGUISHING TENETS AND STYLE: ITS LITE- 
RARY CHARACTER AND MERITS DISCUSSED. 

The Koran, or book of Mohammedan Insti- 
tutes, Civil and Religious, of the same autho- 
rity among the Moslems as the canonical 
Scriptures among Christians, is written in 
prose, interspersed with occasional rhymes in 
the Arabic language of the tribe of Koreish, 
which is a dialect of the Hebrew, and ac- 
counted, by judges, to be the richest, most 
energetic and copious in the world, except 
perhaps the Sanscrit. This singular piece of 
composition exhibits much of that uncon- 
nected, desultory manner, so observable in 



74 THE KORAN. 

Eastern writings ; as to the style, there is a 
rhythmical or natural harmony or modula- 
tion, elegant and well-turned cadences, some 
vivid description and pleasing imagery, which, 
with its pretensions to a divine original, render 
it the standard of excellence among the Ara- 
bians, and in their opinion inimitable a . 

Before we proceed in our delineation, it 
should be premised, that a variety of conjec- 
tures has been formed respecting the real 
author of the Koran, and the subject is still 
enveloped in impenetrable mystery. Some 
assert, that Mohammed was assisted by Ab- 
dia Ben Salen, a Jew b , and a Christian Monk, 
known by the name of Sergius, in the 
Western, and Bahira, in the Eastern Churches : 

a Professor Lee observes, " That some of the Arabs have 
confessed, that the Koran could not only be equalled, but sur- 
passed in elegance." — See Maracci di Alcorano, p. 44, 5. 

11 And that this has been done, no one will doubt, who can 
read the Makamat of Hamadani and Hariri."— Persian Con- 
troversies, p. 18. 

a See Koran, chap. 16, note, and chap. 25. 

4 



THE KORAN. 15 

this has, however, been controverted by his 
followers, who, in order to enhance the repu- 
tation of the Prophet, and the merits of the 
Koran, maintain that he could neither read 
nor write, and that the Koran is eternal and 
uncreated, remaining, as some express it, in 
the very essence of God. It is of no import- 
ance, in the present stage of the argument, 
who or whether any were his coadjutors, and 
their respective contributions, or whether he 
might have formed the outlines of his plan 
during his journies into Syria, because his 
statements are found to correspond remark- 
ably with those of Ephrem c , the Syrian, 

c " The learned Author above referred to traces various co- 
incidences between the Koran and the works of Ephrem, the 
Syrian, which were read publicly in the Churches, and to 
which Mohammed might have had access during his journies 
into Syria. The 1 8th chapter of the Koran contains the sub- 
stance of a story beautifully told in Parcel's Hermit, and 
found in the Spectator, No. 237. The original draught of 
the story appears in the works of Ephrem, given with a view 
of illustrating the mysterious ways of Providence. Other 
coincidences are noted in chapter 2, where Moses struck the 



76 THE KORAN. 

whose writings were read publicly in the 
Churches along with the Scriptures, for, as it 
is allowed substantially to be Mohammed's 
work, that is sufficient for the purpose of ana- 
lytical investigation. 

This extraordinary performance is a com- 
pilation from the Jewish and Christian Scrip- 
tures, apocryphal writings, the reveries of 
the Talmud, and traditional superstitions of 
his country : it was not communicated all at 
once, but by portions, or piece-meal, during 
a period of about twenty-three years, accord- 
ing as the angel Gabriel furnished matter: 

rock, and there gushed out twelve fountains ; and in chapter 
12, a manifest similarity of style and sentiment in the History 
of Joseph ; the account in chapter 2, of Mount Sinai having 
been lift over the Israelites, and some remarkable, agreements 
between the Koran and the works of Ephrem, in the descrip- 
tion both give of Paradise, Adam's ejection and residence on 
earth : to this may be added the expulsion of Satan from 
Heaven, and a variety of particulars relating to the rhythmical 
style of Ephrem, together with thewords and phrases peculiar 
to Mohammed and Ephrem, which have every appearance of 
being borrowed from the latter." — Persian Controversies, p. 
124, &c. 



THE KORAN. 77 

the Commentators say, that the Koran was 
taken from the preserved table near God's 
throne, entire, and in one volume, to the 
lowest Heaven, from whence Gabriel revealed 
it to Mohammed in detached portions, as 
occasions required, giving him, however, the 
consolation to shew him the whole, (which, 
they say, was bound in silk, and adorned with 
gold and precious stones of Paradise,) once a 
year ; but in the last year of his life he had 
the favour to see it twice d . 

The length of time employed in its publi- 
cation, enabled Mohammed to adapt his doc- 
trines better to contingencies, though, after 
all, various alterations and discrepancies still 
adhere to it, which the Musulmans justify- 
by the law of abrogation ; asserting that God 
commanded several things, which were after- 
wards for good reasons revoked or annulled. 
Each portion is supposed to have been dic- 

d See Sale, 



78 THE KORAN. 

tated to the secretary or amanuensis, and by 
him transcribed and delivered to the people, 
to be either read or committed to memory, 
and afterwards it was carefully deposited in 
a wooden chest, after the manner of Moses* 
law. 

Two years after the death of Mohammed, 
Abu-beker collected the copies, written or 
traditional, and confided them to the care of 
Heph-za, one of the Prophet's wives. Oth- 
man, who succeeded him, in the 30th year 
of the Hegira, ordered in all the copies that 
were in circulation, and published a corrected 
one, for a perpetual standard, which is in 
substance the same as that now used by the 
Musulmans e , in which the chapters are placed 
promiscuously, without regard to the order of 
time of therevelation, generally the longest 
first ; so that great and deserved suspicion 
attaches to the authenticity of the Koran, 

e See Gibbon. 



THE KORAN. 79 

and the evidence for similar facts relating to 
Christian antiquity is placed in the strongest 
point of view. 

According to Sale, the chapters are 114 
in number, with various titles prefixed ; some 
appear whimsical, as the Chapters of the 
Cow, the Bee, the Ant, the Spider, the 
Wrapped up, the Fig, the Congealed Blood, 
the Elephant, so designated from that parti- 
cular portion where the word occurs being 
revealed first in point of time, though the 
allusion in the narrative seems merely inci- 
dental : some chapters are dated from Mecca, 
others from Medina, some partly from each, 
and others ambiguous. Certain characters 
are prefixed to twenty-eight chapters, con- 
taining, according to the Musulman doc- 
tors, some great mystery. The 54th, 55th, 
and 77th, have a verse intercalated, or re- 
peated, by way of burthen. All begin in 
the auspicatory form : " In the name of 



80 THE KORAN. 

God, gracious and merciful," in allusion per- 
haps to Exodus xxxiv. 6. except the ninth, 
which is of a warlike description, exhorting 
his followers to break truce with the enemy, 
and destroy them. 

The great object of the Koran is to enforce 
the Unity of God, and the divine legation of 
Mohammed. " There is no God but God, 
and Mohammed is his Prophet/' The Unity 
is inculcated in contradistinction to the 
Heathen Polytheists, who hold many gods; 
to the Jews, who are accused of believing 
Ezra to be the Son of God f ; and to the 
Christians, who are charged with holding 
a plurality of Gods ; connected with which is 
the dogma of the apostleship of Mohammed. 
A distinguishing feature of the Koran is a 
restless anxiety to mislead the mind by every 
species of artifice, and to anticipate and an- 
swer objections. Frequent challenges are 

{ Koran, chap, 9. 



THE KORAN. 81 



thrown out, which, from the nature of the 
case could not be accepted, in a style of the 
most confident and arrogant boasting, and 
spectres of superstition are conjured up, to 
bear specific testimony to its merits. Nothing 
is left to the natural operation of the mind, 
but a fixed solicitude is every where apparent, 
unduly to influence the passions and seduce 
the judgment. 

The following specimens may be adduced 
in corroboration of this statement. In the 
10th chapter entitled Hud, " Will they say, 
he has forged the Koran ? Answer, bring 
therefore ten chapters like unto it ;" this chal- 
lenge is repeated in the 52d chapter, entitled 
the Mountain, and afterwards the matter is 
rendered still easier by a challenge to pro- 
duce a single chapter comparable in doctrine 
and eloquence 5 . In the 17th chapter, entitled 
the Night Journey, " Verily if men and genii 

s Koran., chapters 2. 9, 10. 
G 



82 THE KORAN. 

were purposely assembled, that they might 
produce a book like unto the Koran, they 
would not produce one like unto it/ ; In 
chapter 29, entitled the Spider, " They say, 
unless a sign be sent down to him from his 
Lord, we will not believe. Answer, signs are 
in the power of God alone, and I am no more 
than a public preacher. Is it not sufficient 
for them, that we have sent the Koran V 1 In 
the 46th chapter, Al-Ahkaf, the Genii, are 
said to have been converted at hearing the 
Koran. In the 56th chapter, entitled the 
Inevitable, " I swear by the setting of the 
stars (and it is surely a great oath if ye knew 
it) that this is the excellent Koran, the origi- 
nal whereof is written in the preserved book/' 
In the 59th chapter, entitled the Emigration, 
" If we had sent down this Koran on a moun- 
tain, thou wouldest certainly have seen the 
same humble itself and cleave in sunder for 
fear of God." The 72d chapter, entitled 

6 



THE KORAN, 83 

Genii is similar in purport with the 46th, 
" Say it hath been revealed unto me, that a 
company of the Genii attentively heard me 
reading the Koran, and said, Verily we have 
heard an admirable discourse, which directeth 
unto the right institution, wherefore we be- 
lieve therein." In the 97th chapter, entitled 
Al-Kadr, " Verily we sent down the Koran 
in the night of Al-Kadr : the night of Al- 
Kadr is better than a thousand months." 
;„ Such artifices as these in the very outset 
form a striking contrast with the simplicity 
of the Old and New Testament writers. The 
Gospel is diametrically opposed to this, con-* 
taining a plain recital of facts without note or 
comment, no admiration is excited, no boast- 
ing discernible, there is nothing to forestal 
the judgment, but sober and energetic appeals 
are addressed to the heart and conscience 
through the understanding. Our blessed 
Lord and Saviour disdained any appearance 

g 2 



84 THE KORAN. 

of collusion or confederacy with Baal-zebub 
or the invisible world : he rejected such allies, 
not only imposing silence but prohibiting his 
interference, and compelling him to be silent 
against his will h . The devils neither had in- 
clination to serve him or expectation from 
him : he came to annihilate their kingdom, 
and they were glad to escape punishment ; 
either as principal or accessory he scorned all 
advances from the powers of darkness. 

These prefatory remarks conduct us to a 
review of the doctrines. The religion of the 
Koran may be divided into two parts, the 
credenda and the agenda, or articles of belief 
and practice. The creed has been sometimes 
admired for its simplicity (which however on 
examination will appear more fancied than 
real) and is conceived in the following terms : 
" I believe in one God, I believe in his angels, 
in all his writings, and in all the Prophets 

11 Luke iv. 35. 



THE KORAN. 85 

whom he has sent into the world, without 
excepting one, and making no difference be- 
tween the prophets and ambassadors of God : 
I believe in the day of judgment : moreover 
I believe that every thing that exists, whether 
it be pleasing to us or not, was created of 
God." 

The first article of belief is in God : the 
Koran discards idolatry and creature-worship 
as has been observed, on the rational princi- 
ple that whatever rises must set, that what- 
ever is born must die, that whatever is cor- 
ruptible must decay and perish \ This chain 
of thought is exemplified in the case of Abra- 
ham by a story certainly borrowed from the 
Talmud k , which represents Abraham as em- 
ploying this kind of argument when he op- 
posed the introduction of idolatry into Chal- 
daea. The story is thus related in the Koran 1 : 

1 See Gibbon. k See Sale. 

1 See chapter 6. 



86 THE KORAN. 

" When the night overshadowed him,' he saw 
a star and he said, this is my Lord, but when 
it set, he said, I like not gods which set : and 
when he saw the moon rising he said, this is 
my Lord, but when he saw it set, he said, 
Verily if my Lord direct me not, I shall be- 
come one of the people who go astray. And 
when he saw the sun rising he said, this is my 
Lord, this is the greatest, but when it set, he 
said, O my people, verily I am clear of that 
which ye associate with God : I direct my 
face unto him who hath created the heavens 
and the earth, I am orthodox and not one of 
the idolators/ J The Koran does not fatigue 
itself with disquisitions respecting the Divine 
Essence, but proceeds at once to the Unity, 
as is expressed in the 112th chapter, entitled 
The Declaration of God's Unity, " Say God 
is one God, the eternal God: he begetteth 
not, neither is he begotten ; and there is not 
any one like unto him/' But the Koran does 



THE KORAN. 87 

not content itself with the mere expression of 
the Unity, but assuming the prerogative of 
God, deals out damnation on all who entertain 
in its opinion, inconsistent views on the sub- 
ject. " They are surely infidels who say, 
Verily God is Christ the son of Mary, since 
Christ said, O children of Israel ! serve God, 
my Lord and your Lord : whoever shall give 
a companion to God, God shall exclude him 
from paradise, and his habitation shall be 
hell-fire ; and the ungodly shall have none to 
help them. They are certainly infidels who 
say, God is the third of three : for there is no 
God besides one God : and if they refrain not 
from what they say, a painful torment shall 
surely be inflicted on such of them as are un- 
believers. Will they not therefore be turned 
unto God and ask pardon of him ? Since 
God is gracious and merciful. Christ, the 
son of Mary, is no more than an apostle; 
other apostles have preceded him ; and his 



88 THE KORAN. 

mother was a woman of veracity ; they both 
ate food. Behold, how we declare unto them 
the signs of God's unity; and then behold, 
how they turn aside from the truth V ; 

Having thus anathematized and disposed 
of the doctrine of the Trinity in Unity and its 
advocates, the Koran seems to feel its ground, 
and often discourses strikingly on the attri- 
butes. The following passages are worthy 
notice :— Chapter the 2d, entitled the Cow, 
" O men of Mecca serve your Lord who hath 
created you, and those who have been before 
you : perad venture ye will fear him, who 
hath spread the earth as a bed for you, and 
the heavens as a covering, and hath caused 
water to descend from heaven and thereby 
produced fruits for your sustenance. To God 
belongeth the east and the west ; therefore 
whithersoever ye turn yourselves to pray, 
there is the face of God, for God is omnipre- 

,n See Koran, chapter the 5th, entitled the Table. 



THE KORAN. 89 

sent and omniscient. To him belongeth 
whatever is in heaven and earth, and when 
he decreeth a thing, he only saith unto it, 
Be, and it is. Your God is but one God, 
there is no God but he, the most merciful. 
Now in the creation of heaven and earth, and 
in the vicissitude of night and day, and in 
the ship which saileth on the sea, laden with 
what is profitable for mankind, and in the 
rain-water which God sendeth from heaven, 
quickening thereby the dead earth, and re- 
plenishing the same with all sorts of cattle, 
and in the change of winds, and the clouds 
that are compelled to do service between 
heaven and earth, are signs to people of un- 
derstanding, yet some take idols beside God, 
and love them as with the love due to God, but 
true believers are more fervent in love towards 
God." 

The following has often been quoted as 
one of the sublimest efforts of the Koran, 



90 THE KORAN. 

and is indebted to the 121st Psalm for the 
chief of its sentiments \ " God ! there is no 
God but he ; the living, the self-subsisting ; 
neither slumber nor sleep seizeth him ; to him 
belongeth whatsoever is in heaven or on earth. 
Who is he that can intercede with him, but 
through his good pleasure ? He knoweth 
that which is past and that which is to come 
unto them, and they shall not comprehend 
any thing of his knowledge but so far as he 
pleaseth. His throne is extended over hea- 
ven and earth, and the preservation of both 
is no burthen to him : he is the high, the 
mighty ° !" 

Chapter the 4th, entitled Women, con- 
tains the following passage : " We have al- 
ready commanded those unto whom the 
Scriptures were given before you, and we 
command you also, saying, Fear God, but if 
ye disbelieve, unto God belongeth whatsoever 

n See White's Bampton' Lectures. ° See Koran, chap. 2. 



THE KORAN. 9i 

is in heaven, and on earth, and God is self- 
sufficient and to be praised. If he pleaseth 
he will take you away, O men, and will pro* 
vide others in your stead, for God is able to 
do this. Whoso desireth the reward of this 
world, verily with God is the reward of this 
world, and also of that which is to come ; 
God both heareth and seeth! Believe in 
God and his Apostles, and say not there are 
three Gods, forbear this, it will be better for 
you. God is but one God. Far be it from 
him that he should have a son/' Chapter 
6th, entitled Cattle, " Say, verily my God 
hath directed me in the right way, a true re- 
ligion, the sect of Abraham the orthodox, and 
he was no idolator. Say, verily my prayers 
and my worship, and my life and my death, 
are dedicated unto God, the Lord of all crea- 
tures : he hath no companion. This have I 
been commanded. I am the first Moslem ! 
Say, shall I desire any other Lord besides 



92 THE KORAN. 

God ? Since he is the Lord of all things, 
and no soul shall acquire any merits or de- 
merits but for itself, and no burdened soul 
shall bear the burden of another. Moreover 
unto your Lord shall ye return, and he shall 
declare unto you that concerning which ye 
now dispute. It is he who hath appointed 
you to succeed your predecessors upon earth, 
and hath raised some of you above others, by 
various degrees of worldly advantages, that 
he might prove you by that which he hath 
bestowed upon you. The Lord is swift in pu- 
nishing and he is also gracious and merciful." 
The grandeur and magnificence in the 
following citation from the 10th chapter, 
entitled Jonas, is of course felt more in the 
original than in a translation : it is respecting 
the Deluge: " O earth, swallow up thy waters, 
and thou, O Heaven withhold thy rain. And 
immediately the water abated, and the decree 
was fulfilled, and the ark rested on the moun- 



THE KORAN. 93 

tain Al-Judi, and it was said, Away with the 
ungodly people." The 15th chapter entitled 
Al Hejr contains the sentiments which follow : 
ct We have spread forth the earth and thrown 
thereon stable mountains and we have caused 
every kind of vegetable to spring forth in the 
same, according to a determinate weight : 
and we have provided therein necessaries of 
life for you and for him, whom ye do not 
sustain. There is no one thing but the 
storehouses thereof are in our hands, and we 
distribute not the same otherwise than in a 
determinate measure. We also send the 
winds, driving the pregnant clouds, and we 
send down from heaven water, whereof we 
give you to drink, and which ye keep not in 
store. Verily we give life and we put to 
death, and we are the heirs of all things. 
And thy Lord shall gather them together at 
the last day, for he is knowing and wise." 
Chapter 24th, entitled Light Remarks : " Dost 



94 THE KORAN. 

thou not perceive that all creatures both in 
heaven and earth praise God, and the birds 
also extending their wings ? Every one know- 
eth his prayer and his praise, and God know- 
eth that which they do. Dost thou not see, 
that God gently driveth forward the clouds, 
and gathereth them together and then layeth 
them on heaps? Thou also seest the rain 
which falleth from the midst thereof, and 
God sendeth down from heaven as it were 
mountains, wherein there is hail, he striketh 
therewith whom he pleaseth : the brightness 
of his lightning wanteth but little of taking 
away the sight. God shifteth the night and 
the day, verily herein is an instruction unto 
those which have sight/" We conclude this 
first head with the following citations, which 
proclaim the Omnipotence of the Creator. 
" Whatever is in heaven and earth singeth 
praise unto God ; and he is mighty and wise. 
His is the kingdom of heaven and earth; he 



THE KORAN. 95 

giveth life and he puttetb to death, and he is 
almighty. He is the first and the last, the 
manifest and the hidden, and he knoweth all 
things. It is he who created the heavens 
and the earth in six days ; and then ascended 
his throne. He knoweth that which entereth 
into the earth, and that which issueth out of 
the same ; and that which descendeth from 
heaven, and that which ascendeth thereto : 
and he is with you wheresoever ye be, for 
God seeth that which ye do. His is the 
kingdom of heaven and earth, and unto God 
shall all things return p ." 

The other passage deserving attention re- 
lates to the Omniscience of God. " Dost 
thou not perceive that God knoweth what- 
ever is in heaven and in earth? There is 
no private discourse among three persons, 
but he is the fourth of them ; nor among 
five, but he is the sixth of them ; neither 

p Koran, chap. 57, entitled Iron. 



9& THE KORAN, 

among a smaller number than this, nor a 
larger but he is with them wheresoever they 
be; and he will declare unto them that which 
they have done, on the day of resurrection, 
for God knoweth all things V But though 
the Unity and attributes are described well, 
in particular instances, yet the character of 
God is not adequately supported throughout 
the whole, witness those various forms of ad- 
juration ascribed to him, such as by the Sun, 
in chapter 91 ; by the Night, in chapter 92 ; 
by the Brightness of the Morning, chapter 93, 
and by the Fig, chapter 95, &c. &c. ; all of 
which are so contrary to the dignity of Scrip- 
ture. 

How much more consistent and dignified 
is the language of the Old Testament, "By 
myself have I sworn, saith the Almighty," and 
the comment of the Apostle to the Hebrews r , 

q See Koran, chapter 58, entitled, " She who disputes." 
r Hebrews vi. 13, 



THE KORAN. 97 

" For when God made promise to Abraham, 
because he could swear by no greater he 
sware by himself." 

The next article in the Moslem creed is the 
belief of angels, both good and bad ; a kind 
of machinery well adapted to the romantic 
imagination of an Asiatic, but which being 
brought too prominently forward, has a ten- 
dency to withdraw the mind from the great 
First Cause to the contemplation of subor- 
dinate agency. The principal are, Gabriel, 
who is styled the Angel of Revelations ; Mi- 
chael, the friend of the Jews; Azrael, the 
angel of death ; and Israfil, whose office it 
will be to sound the trumpet at the resurrec- 
tion ; all of whom are said to be described 
almost similarly in the Apocryphal Gospel of 
Barnabas 9 . Besides these, there are various 
other spirits, sustaining different functions, 
noting the good and evil actions of mankind, 

1 See Sale, Note. 
H 



98 THE KORAN. 

attending them at death, examining them in 
the sepulchre concerning their faith, and in- 
flicting exemplary punishment on unbelievers; 
many of which notions are also borrowed 
from the Jews and Magians. They call the 
devil Eblis, and say he was banished from 
heaven for not worshipping Adam 1 . They 
believe also in an intermediate race of spirits, 
called Genii, both good and bad, (of whom 
some mention was made before) capable of 
future salvation and damnation". 

3d. The books acknowledged sacred by the 
Mohammedans amount to 104, which they 
contend have been lost, except those of Moses, 
David, Christ, and Mohammed, and of these 
four, they say, the Pentateuch, Psalms, and 
Gospel, have been so corrupted by Jews and 
Christians, that their authority is nugatory, 
except where supported by the Koran. 

* See Koran chapters 2. 7. 15. 17, 18. 82. 
u Ibid, chapters 2. 7. 38, &c. 



THE KORAN. 99 

4th. The number of Prophets, according 
to some of their traditions, amounts to 
224,000, of whom the names of some occur 
in Scripture, and others not, and herein they 
claim superiority, both over the Jews who 
believe in Moses and reject Christ, and also 
the Christians, who acknowledge Moses and 
Christ, but disclaim Mohammed. 

5th. They are required to believe in the day 
of judgment. Their recorded opinions of the 
intermediate state, both of the body and soul, 
after death, provoke a smile in the Christian, 
accustomed to the sober statements or im- 
pressive silence of Scripture. Two angels, of 
terrible aspect, named Monker and Nakir, are 
stated to visit the grave and examine the de- 
ceased on his religious belief : if his answers 
prove satisfactory, they suffer the body to re- 
main in peace ; but if otherwise, they beat 
the corpse with iron maces, so that his cries 
are heard from east to west, except by men 

h 2 



100 THE KORAN. 

and genii : they then press the earth upon the 
corpse, which is either gnawn by dragons, 
having many heads, or scorpions, or serpents, 
according to the nature of his offences. This 
supposition is beautifully alluded to by 
Southey x . 



it 



There sat a spirit in the vault, 

In shape, in hue, in lineaments like life, 

And by him couch'd, as if entranced, 

The hundred-headed worm that never dies." 



The souls of the good enter into the state 
called Al-Berzakh, or the interval between 
death and the resurrection : the souls of mar- 
tyrs, according to tradition, rest in the crops 
of green birds, which eat of the fruits and 
drink of the rivers of Paradise ; and there is a 
variety of opinions concerning the souls of 
common believers. Some suppose that they 
remain near the sepulchres, others that they 
are with Adam in the lowest heaven ; others 

x See Thalaba. 



THE KORAN. 101 

that they are in the well Zemzem, or in the 
trumpet that is to awake the dead, or that 
they dwell under the throne of God, in the 

! - 

form of white birds : these idle fancies are 
thus poetically described y — ■ 

" Where Hodeirali is thy soul? 
Is it in the Zemzem well ? 
Is it in the Eden groves ? 
Waits it in the judgment blast, 
In the trump of Israfil ? 
Is it plum'd with silver wings 
Underneath the throne of God V % 

As to the doctrine of the Resurrection, the 
Koran relates a miracle which satisfied and 
confirmed the faith of Abraham z . " Abraham 
said, O Lord, shew me how r thou wilt raise 
the dead. God said, Dost thou not yet be- 
lieve ? He answered, Yea, but I ask this that 
my heart may remain at ease. God said, 
Take therefore four birds, and divide them ; 

y See Southey's Thalaba. z See Koran, chap. 2. 



102 THE KORAN. 

then lay a part of them on every mountain ; 
then call them, and they shall come swiftly 
unto thee : and know that God is mighty and 
wise. 

The following account, on natural prin- 
ciples, is not destitute of beauty : it is selected 
from the 22d chapter, intitled Pilgrimage. 
" O men, if ye be in doubt concerning the 
resurrection, consider that we first created 
you of the dust of the ground, we cause that 
which we please to rest in the wombs, until 
the appointed time of delivery. Then w r e bring 
you forth infants, and afterwards we permit 
you to attain your age of full strength, and 
one of you dieth in his youth, and another of 
you is postponed to decrepit age, so that he 
forgetteth whatever he knew. Thou seest the 
earth sometimes dried up and barren : but 
when we send down rain thereon, it is put in 
motion, and swelleth, and produceth every 
kind of luxuriant vegetables. This sheweth 

6 



THE KORAN, 103 

that God is the truth, and that he raise th the 
dead to life, and that he is almighty, and that 
the hour of judgment will surely come; there 
is no doubt thereof, and that God will raise 
again those who are in their graves/' How 
insipid and lifeless will this appear, when con- 
trasted with the inimitable language of St. 
Paul on the same subject 8 . 

The day of judgment is thus described in 
chapter 17, entitled " the Night Journey/' 
— " On a certain day we will call all men to 
judgment, with their respective leader : and 
whoever shall have his book given him in his 
right hand, they shall read their book with 
joy and satisfaction/' Further particulars 
are given in the 6'9th chapter, entitled *' the 
Infallible/' — " When one blast shall sound the 
trumpet, and the earth shall be moved from 
its place, and the mountains also, and shall be 
dashed in pieces at one stroke ; on that day 



a C! 



See 1 Cor. xv. 20, &c. 



104 THE KORAN. 

the inevitable hour of judgment shall surely 
come, and the heavens shall cleave in sunder, 
and shall fall in pieces at that day, and the 
angels shall be at the sides thereof, and eight 
shall bear the throne of thy Lord above 
them on that day. On that day ye shall be 
presented before the judgment seat of God, 
and none of your secret actions shall be 
hidden" This dwindles into insignificance 
in comparison with the sublime narration of 
St. Matthew". 

There is a sort of romantic grandeur in the 
ideal balance, in the 101st chapter, entitled 
" the Striking," calculated, like manv other 
parts of the system, to work upon the fervid 
imagination of an Orientalist. " He w 7 hose 
balance shall be heavy with good works, shall 
lead a pleasing life, but as to him whose 
balance is light, his dwelling shall be in the 
pit of hell/' This balance, they say, is of 

b See chap. xxv. 31, &c. 



THE KORAN. 105 

such large dimensions, that one scale hangs 
over Paradise and the other over Hell : and it 
will be sustained by the Angel Gabriel. The 
resurrection will extend even to beasts, who 
will be allowed retaliation, as well as to genii 
and men. The faithful Moslems pass over the 
bridge Al Sirat, which they say is laid over 
the midst of Hell, finer than a hair, and 
sharper than the edge of a sword, the Prophet 
himself leading the way; while the wicked, 
from the difficulty of the path, shall miss their 
footing, and fall headlong into hell, which is 
gaping beneath them.' 

According to their belief, there is a place 
between Heaven and Hell, called Al-Haraf, 
something similar to Purgatory, and which 
Southey also touches upon — 

" Hath not Allah made 

Al-araf in his wisdom ? Where the sight 
Of Heav'n shall kindle in the penitent 
The strong and purifying fire of hope, 
'Till at the day of judgment he shall see 
The mercy gates unfold." 



106 THE KORAN. 

The first refreshment true Believers shall 
partake, will be drinking of the pond of their 
Prophet, which is supplied by two pipes from 
Al-cawther, one of the rivers of Paradise. 
The joys of Heaven are sensual, and described 
accordingly: the meanest in Paradise will 
have seventy-two wives, and every sense will 
be gratified to its utmost capacity. Beatified 
females, it is supposed, have a separate abode 
of happiness assigned them. 

Chapter 56, entitled " the Inevitable/' gives 
one of the best connected descriptions of Pa- 
radise in the Koran. " When the inevitable 
day of judgment shall suddenly come, no soul 
shall charge the prediction of its coming with 
falsehood : it will abase some, and exalt 
others. When the earth shall be shaken with 
a violent shock, and the mountains shall be 
dashed in pieces, and shall become as dust 
scattered abroad ; and ye shall be separated 
into three distinct classes: the companions of 



THE KORAN, 107 

the right hand (how happy shall the compa- 
nions of the right hand be,) and the compa- 
nions of the left hand (how miserable shall 
the companions of the left hand be,) and 
those who have preceded others in the faith, 
shall precede them to Paradise. These are 
they who shall approach near unto God : they 
shall dwell in gardens of delight, (there shall 
be many of the former Religions, and few of 
the last,) reposing on couches, adorned with 
gold and precious stones ; sitting opposite to 
one another thereon ; vouths, which shall con- 
tinue in their bloonv for ever, shall go round 
about to attend them, with goblets and 
beakers, and a cup of flowing wine: their 
heads shall not ache by drinking the same, 
neither shall their reason be disturbed; and 
with fruits of the sorts which they shall 
choose, and the flesh of birds of the kind 
which they shall desire. And there shall ac- 
company them fair damsels, having large 



108 THE KORAN. 

black eyes, resembling pearls hidden in their 
shells : as a reward for that which they have 
wrought. They shall not hear therein any 
vain discourse, or any charge of sin ; but only 
the salutation, Peace ! Peace ! And the com- 
panions of the right hand (how happy shall 
the companions of the right hand be) shall 
have their abode among lote trees free from 
thorns, and trees of mauz, loaded regularly 
with their produce from top to bottom ; under 
an extended shade, near a flowing water, and 
amidst fruits in abundance, which shall not 
fail, nor shall be forbidden to be gathered : 
and they shall repose themselves on lofty 
beds. Verily we have created the damsels 
of paradise by a peculiar creation : and we 
have made them virgins, beloved by their 
husbands, of equal age with them ; for the 
delight of the companions of the right hand. 
(There shall be many of the former religions 
and many of the latter/') 



THE KORAN. 109 

As the joys of heaven are sensual and dis- 
gusting, consisting in mere carnal gratifica- 
tions and indulgence, so the torments of hell 
are detailed in the most gross and revolting 
terms, with a savage malignancy and parti- 
cularity, more suited to the rancour of a fiend 
than the dignity of a sin-avenging God. 
" They who believe not shall have garments 
of fire fitted unto them : boiling water shall 
be poured on their heads : their bowels shall 
be dissolved thereby; and also their skins; 
and they shall be beaten with maces of 

c >> 

iron . 

" Ye shall eat of the fruit of the tree Al- 
Zakkum and shall fill your bellies therewith : 
and ye shall drink thereon boiling water ; 
and ye shall drink as a thirsty camel drink- 
eth V 

The sixth and concluding article under this 

c See Koran, chapter 22, entitled Pilgrimage. 
a See Koran, chapter 56, entitled The Inevitable. 



110 THE KORAN. 

head is predestination or rather fatalism of 
the worst species, " No soul can die unless by 
the permission of God, according to what is 
written in the book, containing the determi- 
nation of all things V J Again, " no accident 
happeneth on the earth or on your persons, 
but the same was entered into the book of 
our decrees before we created it : verily this 
is easy with God : and this is written lest ye 
immoderately grieve for the good which es- 
capeth you, or rejoice for that which happen- 
eth unto you f ." 

This doctrine was one of the main springs 
of Mohammed's system, teaching his follow- 
ers that they were unable to avoid destiny, 
which was unalterably fixed ; their fate being 
predestined with all its attendant circum- 
stances, renderecTthem reckless of danger, and 
passive instruments of his will. 

e See Koran, chapter 3, entitled the Family of Imram. 
f See Koran, chapter 57, entitled Iron. 



THE KORAN. Ill 

The practical part of the Moslem faith re- 
mains next for consideration : the four funda- 
mental points classed under this head are, 
1st. Prayer with the ceremony of the Kebla 
and previous purifications ; 2dly, Alms ; 3dly, 
Fasting; and 4thly, the Pilgrimage to Mecca. 
1st. Prayer. Mohammed (in consequence of 
certain stipulations with the Deity at his ce- 
lebrated night journey) enjoined his followers 
to pray five times every twenty-four hours, 
viz. 1. in the morning before sun-rise; 2. 
when noon is past, and the sun begins to de- 
cline from the meridian ; 3. in the afternoon 
before sun-set ; 4. in the evening after sun- 
set and before the day be shut in, and 5thly. 
after the day is shut in and before the first 
watch of the night. A little variety is ob- 
servable in the form of summoning to prayer : 
as the Jews gave notice of worship by the 
sound of the trumpet, and the Christians by 
bells, so the Muedhhims or cryers from the 



112 THE KORAN. 

steeples of the mosques announce the hours 
of prayer to the Musulmans after a prescribed 
form ; the words are, " Most high God ! most 
high God ! most high God ! I acknowledge 
that there is no other except God ! I ac- 
knowledge that Mohammed is the Prophet of 
God ! Come to prayer ! Come to prayer ! 
Come to the temple of salvation! Great 
God ! Great God ! There is no God except 
God." In the morning after the words 
" Come to the temple of salvation," the fol- 
lowing is added, " Prayer is to be preferred 
to sleep ! prayer is to be preferred to sleep P- 
Various purifications are enjoined before the 
duty can be properly commenced, " O true 
believers when ye prepare yourselves to pray, 
wash your faces and your hands unto the el- 
bows, and rub your heads and feet unto the 
ancles s ." In certain cases a dispensation is 

s See Koran, chapter 5, entitled the Table. 



THE KORAN. 113 

allowed h . The ceremony of the Kebla must 
be strictly observed : at first the followers of 
Mohammed practised no particular mode of 
turning their faces to any quarter of heaven, 
it being considered immaterial : after the re- 
treat to Medina they were directed to turn 
towards the temple of Jerusalem, probably 
with a view to please the Jews, which prac- 
tice however only continued for six or seven 
months ; at length, in the second year of the 
Hegira, they were ordered to pray with their 
faces towards Mecca. The devout Musul- 
man, in whatever part of the globe he may 
be, must ascertain as exactly as possible the 
place of the Kebla, and offer his devotions 
accordingly. 

The introductory chapter is a prayer, in as 
frequent use among the Musulmans as the 
Lord's Prayer is with Christians, " Praise 
be to God, the Lord of all creatures, the most 

h See Koran, chapter 395. 
I 



114 THE KORAN. 

merciful, the King of the day of judgment. 
Thee do we worship, and of thee do we beg 
assistance. Direct us in the right way, in 
the way of those to whom thou hast been 
gracious ; not of those against whom thou art 
incensed, nor of those who go astray." Mo- 
hammed retains the institution of the Sabbath 
with the peculiarity of transferring it to 
Friday, the day on which the Koran was 
feigned to be delivered from heaven. 

2. The second practical duty enjoined is 
alms. The enactments of the Koran are of a 
benevolent tendency. " They will ask thee 
what they shall bestow in alms. Answer, 
the good which ye bestow, let it be given to 
parents and kindred and orphans and the 
poor and the stranger. Whatsoever good ye 
do, God knows it." Again, " O true believers, 
bestow alms of the good things which ye 
have gained, and of that which we have pro- 
duced for you out of the earth, and choose 

2 



THE KORAN. 115 

not the bad thereof to give it in alms, such as 
ye would not accept yourselves otherwise 
than by connivance, and know that God is 
rich and worthy to be praised ! If ye make 
your alms to appear, it is well : but if ye con- 
ceal them and give them to the poor, this 
will be better for you, and atone for your 
sins 1 ." Again, "Believe in God and his 
Apostle, and lay out in alms a part of the 
wealth, whereof God has made you partakers : 
for unto such of you as believe and bestow 
alms shall be given a great reward k " Par- 
ticular directions are given in the Koran res- 
pecting the measure of alms, the Musulman 
must bestow a tenth of his revenue, and " if 
his conscience accuse him of fraud and extor- 
tion, the tenth, under the idea of restitution, 
is enlarged to a fifth l " The principle of 



1 See Koran chapter 2, entitled The Cow. 
k Ibid, chapter 56, entitled The Inevitable. 
1 See Gibbon. 

12 



116 THE KORAN. 

alms-giving is highly commendable, but the 
precision with which it is laid down in the 
Koran renders it more a matter of habit than 
a spontaneous exercise of charity, emanating 
from the pure spirit of benevolence. 

3. The third practical duty is fasting, which 
is regarded as highly meritorious. " The 
month of Ramadan shall ye fast, in which the 
Koran was sent down from heaven, a direc- 
tion unto men and declarations of directions, 
and the distinction between good and evil m . ,J 
This fast is strictly observed and is (as Sale 
observes) very rigorous and mortifying when 
the month of Ramadan happens to fall in 
summer; the length and heat of the days 
rendering its observance far more trying in 
summer than in winter. 

4. The fourth and last duty under this 
head is the Pilgrimage, to which very great 
importance is attached, and which is judged 

m See Koran, chap. 2. 



THE KORAN. 117 

of vast importance. " Verily the first house 
appointed for men to worship in was that 
which is in Becca ; blessed and a direction to 
all creatures. Therein are manifest signs; 
the place where Abraham stood, and whoever 
entereth therein shall be safe. And it is a 
duty towards God, incumbent on those who 
are able to go thither, to visit this house V J 

Respecting the signs above alluded to, 
there is the black stone which the Moslems 
fable fell down from heaven to earth with 
Adam, and was preserved by Gabriel and 
given to Abraham when he built the Ca-aba. 
This was taken by the Karmatians and after- 
wards restored. There is another stone, on 
which they pretend to shew the footsteps of 
Abraham, which served as a scaffold while 
employed in building the temple, raising and 
depressing itself voluntarily, so as to suit his 
convenience. The well of Zemzem also, con- 

n See Koran, chapter 3, entitled the Family of Imram. 



118 THE KORAN. 

cerning which they are very superstitious, is 
covered with a small building and cupola ; the 
Mohammedans persuade themselves, that this 
was the spring which gushed out for the relief 
of Ishmael when Hagar his mother wandered 
with him in the wilderness ; the water of 
course is highly prized. More particular di- 
rections are given in the twenty-second chapter 
entitled Pilgrimage. " Proclaim unto the 
people a solemn pilgrimage, let them come 
unto thee on foot and on every lean camel, 
arriving from every distant road, let them 
pay their vows and compass the ancient 
house." The compassing the Ca-aba or Tem- 
ple a certain number of times, and in different 
paces, running between the mountains of Safa 
and Merwa, throwing stones in the valley of 
Mina, together with the rites and lustrations 
afterwards performed, are relics of pagan 
superstition, unworthy of further notice, and 
adopted by the son of Ab-dollah into his 



THE KORAN. 119 

code most likely for the purpose of concilia- 
tion °. The idolatrous natives might be won 
over by such concession rather than by firm 
and uncompromising opposition. 

Other negative and civil precepts are em- 
bodied in the Koran, such as circumcision, 
which though not expressly enjoined, is still 
retained, as being of high antiquity and es- 
teem. Wine and gaming are prohibited, and 
certain distinctions are observed with respect 
to meats, unnecessary here to be detailed p : 
they are for the most part similar to the Jewish 
ritual with the exception that camel's flesh is 
allowed. Usury also is prohibited, and by 
an exertion of humanity which cannot be too 
highly commended, the inhuman practice of 
burying their daughters alive (which exten- 
sively prevailed throughout Arabia, at and 
before the time of Mohammed) was abo- 

See Gibbon. 

p See Koran, chap, 2 and 5, &c 



120 THE KORAN. 

lished 9 . Polygamy was restrained to four, 
either wives or concubines : the freedom of 
divorce is discouraged, for if a woman be di- 
vorced the third time, a man cannot take her 
to wife, unless she has previously been coha- 
bited with by another. Punishment is 
awarded to murder and theft, and retaliation 
allowed as in the Mosaic law for personal in- 
juries, or a fine may be accepted in lieu: 
punishment for minor offences is inflicted by 
stripes. War is enjoined against infidels. 
66 O true believers, wage war against such of 
the infidels as are near you, and let them find 
severity in you, and know that God is with 
those that fear him. Unless you go forth to 
war, God will punish you with a grievous 
punishment and place another people in your 
stead'." Again, " O true believers, if ye 
assist God by fighting for his religion, he will 

q See Koran, chapters 6. 17. 81. 
* Ibid. chap. 9. 



THE KORAN. 121 

assist you against your enemies, and will set 
your feet fast, but as for the infidels, let them 
perish, and their works shall God render 
vain 9 ." Four months of the year are ac- 
counted sacred, particularly the night of Al- 
Kadr, when the Koran came down from 
heaven, though the Moslem doctors are not 
agreed where exactly to fix it. Southey 
has arrayed this fiction with the charms of 
poetry. 

" This was that most holy night 

When all created things know and adore 

The pow'r that made them, insects, beasts, and birds, 

The water-dwellers, herbs, and trees, and stones, 

Yea, earth and ocean, and the infinite heav'n 

With all its worlds. Man only does not know 

The universal Sabbath, does not join 

With nature in her homage. Yet the pray'r 

Flows from the righteous with intenser love, 

A holier calm succeeds, and sweeter dreams 

Visit the slumbers of the penitent V 

They observe two annual festivals, called 

s Koran, chap. 47. * See Thalaba. 



122 THE KORAN. 

the greater and less Beir&m. The above are 
the religious and civil institutions of the Ko- 
ran, to which the Sonna is considered as 
supplemental, something after the manner of 
the Jewish Mishna. The Kedaya, or guide, 
enters deeply into subjects connected with 
the Musulman law, arid has been translated 
by Colonel Hamilton. 

The above concise review sufficiently evinces 
how little originality attaches to the Koran : 
there is not a doctrine, precept, or institution, 
throughout its pages, but what is borrowed, 
and may be traced to the great sources before 
specified u . 

The leading fundamental article, viz. the 
Unity of God, formed the basis both of the 
Patriarchal and Mosaic dispensations, agree- 
ably with the words of the great Hebrew le- 
gislator and prophet, " Hear, O Israel, the 
Lord thy God is one God." The Jews more- 

u See chap. 1. 



THE KORAN. 123 

over were selected from the nations of the 
earth, and kept distinct for many centuries, 
as depositaries of the sacred oracles and wit- 
nesses of the Unity. The same truth is firmly 
maintained by Christians, even by the strong- 
est advocates of the Trinitarian hypothesis, 
who infringe not upon the Unity in the 
widest latitude and scope of interpretation. 
As to the Koran's sustaining any competition 
with the Scriptures, the idea is ridiculous : 
the greater part of the matter is borrowed 
from them either immediately or through 
corrupt channels, and what remains after 
this and other deductions, will scarcely entitle 
it to any notice. The boasted rhythm of the 
Koran is no novelty, but pervades the wri- 
tings of the prophets, and is to be found in 
the works of Ephrem the Syrian, before al- 
luded to x , and to which Mohammed appears 
to have had access. The fresh light cast 

* See Koran, chap. 1. 



124 THE KORAN. 

upon the subject by scholars, tends to shew 
the arrogance and futility of Mohammed's 
pretensions. 

The genuine and authentic Scriptures, 
which are termed canonical, possess more 
real beauties than can be found in the 
most esteemed writings of antiquity or mo- 
dern times; and this not from any affec- 
tation of fine composition or attention to 
the rules of art, but naturally and sponta- 
neously arising from the subject-matter of 
those divinely inspired Records : the matter 
of inspiration stamps a character on the 
language or vehicle of thought, which is 
uniformly simple and appropriate, and often 
rises to sublimity. The style, however, is 
not artificially laboured for the subject, and 
designed to produce effect, but the senti- 
ments form the style and constitute its lead- 
ing excellence. 

Long before Longinus had critically de- 



THE KORAN. 125 

fined what the sublime was, Moses y had ex- 



y It is curious to remark the slow progress of knowledge and 
civilization. Seven centuries after the deluge, two persons 
resident in Egypt, Moses and Cecrops, contributed to this 
happy event. Moses with miraculous inspiration, and a na- 
tion of colonists, passed into Canaan, where first a Republic, 
afterwards a Kingdom, was established on the subversion of 
petty monarchies : he laid down the principles of true theo- 
logy and morality, and drew a line of circumvallation round 
his people, separating them from the rest of the world, which 
line, more than 4000 years have proved unable to destroy. 
At the same time, Cecrops left Egypt and arrived at Greece : 
he became the founder of a dynasty of kings, which lasted 
near five centuries. The marbles of Lord Arundel begin with 
Cecrops. Moses introduced his alphabet into Syria and 
Phoenicia; Cecrops had no letters: about 100 years after 
him, Cadmus the Phoenician came into Greece and founded 
Thebes. He produced seventeen letters of the Chaldean 
alphabet, but turned them a contrary way, and read alter- 
nately from right to left. It was about 250 years after Cad- 
mus, that the siege of Troy, the capital of Phrygia, com- 
menced, and Homer flourished something more than four 
centuries after the taking of that city by the Greeks ; so 
that from Cadmus to Homer is nearly a period of seven 
centuries : which is probable, for an equal time is consumed 
in other nations before a simple alphabet could grow to 
the perfection of Homer's matter and language. Applying 
these remarks to religion, though its universality is unques- 
tionable, yet we may well conceive it a gradual and progressive 
work. 



126 THE KORAN. 

emplified it in his writings : and Job, the 
more remote countryman of Mohammed, in 
the most masterly manner had pourtrayed the 
divine attributes, and left that work, before 
which (critically speaking) the Koran, as a 
composition, dwindles into insignificance, notr 
withstanding all the aid derived from quarters 
Subsequent to the time of Job z , and therefore 



B The mention of the Book of Job (perhaps the most ancient 
in the world, and written more than 3500 years since) awakens 
a spirit of curiosity and deep interest. The subject is a his- 
tory, notoriously public at the time when it was composed. 
His prosperity, adversity, recovery, and singular advancement, 
is described. First, heaven smiled upon him, then successive 
misfortunes reduced him to the lowest penury and distress, 
and a loathsome disease brings him to the brink of the grave. 
If the virtues of Job shone in prosperity, they derived greater 
lustre from affliction : his patience and submission have been 
the wonder of all ages ! Heaven, after this severe exercise, 
restored him to health, and rewarded his virtues. Three 
neighbouring princes, hearing of his calamities, visited him 
during his want and sickness, in order to console him. A 
finer subject dramatic invention could hardly discover. The 
style is similar to the odes in the Pentateuch. The poem 
is rhythmical, full of sublimity, in the tragic form, and 
the first rude essay of dramatic art. It may be thus described : 



THE KORAN. 127 

to him inaccessible. No comparison can be 
instituted successfully betweeen the Koran 

the Tragedy persons — Jehovah, Job, Eliphaz, Bildad, Zo- 
phar, his friends ; Elihu, a young man ; Satan, Job's Wife, 
Messenger. The scene exhibits Job lying in the dust, covered 
with sores, and a potsherd in his hand. His wife is urging 
him to suicide, the three princes, with all the signs of grief, 
attend in silence. The Prologue is in prose, necessary to the 
introduction of the speakers. The Poet has employed the 
usual parts of tragedy; but the dialogue is singular, and 
speaks the simplicity of the first age. Job complains, and is 
answered in order by his three friends. After thrice speaking 
thus, (when distress is at the height) Elihu prepares for the 
catastrophe, which ends favourably. An Epilogue in prose 
concludes: the dialogue — the protasis, or beginning of dis- 
tress ; Job speaks and Eliphaz answers, then Job and Bildad, 
then Job and Zophar : in the epitasis or increasing, Job speaks 
and Eliphaz answers, then Job and Bildad, then Job and 
Zophar; in the catastasis preparatory to the catastrophe, 
Elihu addresses the three friends ; then Job, then the three 
friends ; in the catastrophe or conclusion, Jehovah addresses 
Job. 

Gibbon has the following remarks on the Koran : " In the 
spirit of enthusiasm or vanity, the prophet rests the truth of 
his mission on the merit of his book, audaciously challenges 
both men and angels to imitate the beauty of a single page, 
and presumes to assert that God alone could dictate this in- 
comparable performance. This argument is most powerfully 
addressed to a devout Arabian, whose mind is attuned to faith 
and rapture, whose ear is delighted by the music of sounds, 



128 THE KORAN. 

and the writings of the Prophets, collectively 
taken, in which every species of excellence is 
carried to unrivalled height, whilst Greece 
was immersed in barbarism, before Cadmus 
had taught them letters. Though with a 
view to the Messiah, a particular prominence 
is given to individuals and nations connected 
with that grand event, yet incidentally facts, 
interesting to the world at large, are inter- 
spersed, which form at this day the basis of 
all credible history. 

and whose ignorance is incapable of comparing the productions 
of human genius. The harmony and copiousness of style will 
not reach in a version the European infidel : he will peruse 
with impatience the endless incoherent rhapsody of fable, and 
precept, and declamation, which seldom excites a sentiment 
or idea, which sometimes crawls in the dust, and is sometimes 
lost in the clouds. The divine attributes exalt the fancy of 
the Arabian missionary, but his loftiest strains must yield to 
the sublime simplicity of the book of Job, composed in a re- 
mote age, in the same country and in the same language. If 
the composition of the Koran exceed the faculties of a man, 
to what superior intelligence should we ascribe the Iliad of 
Homer, or the Philippics of Demosthenes?" — Decline and 
Fall of the Roman Empire. 



THE KORAN. 129 

The Bible contains the earliest * and best 

a The treasures of oriental learning, which Mr. Maurice 
has collected with so much industry, and explained with so 
much judgment, in his history and antiquities of India, supply 
abundance of incontrovertible evidence for the existence of 
opinions in the early ages of the world, which perfectly agree 
with the leading articles of our faith, as well as with the prin- 
cipal events related in the Pentateuch. I must confine myself 
to a single extract from this interesting author : " Whether 
the reader will allow or not the inspiration of the sacred wri- 
ter, his mind on the perusal must be struck with the force of 
one very remarkable fact, viz. that the names which are as- 
signed by Moses to Eastern countries and cities, derived to 
them immediately from the Patriarchs, their original founders, 
are, for . the most part, the very names by which they were 
anciently known over all the East ; many of them were after- 
wards translated with little variation by the Greeks, in their 
systems of geography. Moses has traced in one short chapter 
(Gen. chap, x.) all the inhabitants of the earth, from the Cas- 
pian and Persian seas to the extreme Gades, to their original ; 
and recorded at once the period and occasion of their disper- 
sion. This fact, and the conclusions from it, which are thus 
incontrovertibly 6 stablished, by the newly acquired knowledge 
of the Sanscreet language, were contended for and strongly 
enforced by Bochart and Stillingfleet, who could only refer to 
oriental opinions and traditions as they came to them through 
the medium of Grecian interpretation. To the late excellent 
and learned president of the Asiatic Society, we are chiefly 
indebted for the light recently thrown from the East upon this 
important subject." — See Bishop of Winchester's Elements of 
Christian Theology. 

K 



130 THE KORAN. 

authenticated account of the creation of the 
world, the fall of man, and his promised re- 
covery through the Saviour, who was to ap- 
pear in the fulness of time. Notices of the 
first monarchies, inventions of art, the deluge, 
confusion of tongues, and dispersion, are in- 
terwoven with the general narrative ; and all 
the researches of the learned shew that the 
documents of old times are entitled to credi- 
bility in proportion as they coincide more 
nearly with the statements of holy writ. 

The same distinctive mark is affixed on the 
writings of the NewTestament,which is the com- 
pletion of all former promises and predictions. 
From the Sermons and Parables of our Lord, 
and the writings of his Disciples, unequalled 
beauties may be culled ; but, transcendently 
invaluable as they are in other respects, the 
style is the least quality entitled to admira- 
tion; suffice it to say, that the Evangelists 
have succeeded in drawing the finished por- 



THE KORAN. 131 

trait of a good man ; a work which Plato and 
Xenophon, master-geniuses of antiquity, in 
vain attempted ; which required something 
more than rhetoric or skill in composition to 
effect: and yet the Evangelists have suc- 
ceeded not by any professed attempts at deli- 
neation, but by a detail of facts, which doubt- 
less arose from something more than rhetorical 
proficiency, namely, the real existence of 
those virtues, and the perfect impeccability 
which distinguished him of whom they wrote. 
What enhances the wonder is, that though 
each Evangelist pursues a separate method, 
and is distinguished by peculiarity of style 
and manner, yet they have all alike reach- 
ed the standard, and furnished a model of 
perfection in the character of Jesus of Naza- 
reth. 

Islamism appears to most advantage when 
viewed distinct from Christianity ; the nearer 
they approximate, the more glaring its de- 



132 THE KORAN. 

fects become. Estimated as a system of 
Deism, propagated at a very benighted pe- 
riod, and time of apostasy, comprising the 
existence of a Supreme Being, the obligations 
of natural religion and a future state, it 
shines with some advantage over the wretched 

schemes of Paganism, however modified. The 
abolition of infanticide, the encouragement 
given to alms and charitable deeds, must be 
mentioned with high approbation. The Koran 
also may lay claim to elegance of style, but it 
is not an equable performance : it is disfigured 
by frequent absurdities, contradictions, ana- 
chronisms. Yet, after all, beauty of style, 
conceded to the utmost extent, would of itself 
be no proof of a divine original. The mere- 
tricious ornaments of language are rather cal- 
culated to mislead the judgment and excite 
suspicion, being artifices which truth seeks 
not, and if they come, arise unsought and 
unsolicited. 



•THE KORAN. 133 

The Gospel prefers its claims to our recep- 
tion on far different and much higher grounds. 
St. Paul, speaking of his mode of propagating 
the faith, says, " I, brethren, when I came 
unto you, came not with excellency of speech, 
or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony 
of God ; for I determined not to know any 
thing among you, save Jesus Christ and him 
crucified. And my speech and my preach- 
ing was not with enticing words of man's wis- 
dom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and 
power: that your faith should not stand in 
the wisdom of man, but in the power of 
GodV 

The Koran carries within itself decided 
marks of fallacy, and may be refuted out of 
its own mouth ; but in examining those far 
more ancient writings, from which Mohammed 
has so largely borrowed, yet endeavours still 
to depreciate, it may be justly affirmed, that 

b See 1 Cor. ii. I, &c. &c. 



234 THE KORAN, 

the materials of which they are composed, the 
divine enthusiasm, simplicity, grandeur of 

sentiment and figure, the moral lessons, doc- 
trines and prophetical predictions, proclaim 
aloud, 

" The hand that made us is divine." 



CHAPTER IV. 



ISLAMISM UNSUPPORTED BY MIRACLES AND PROPHECY 

OPPOSED TO FORMER DISPENSATIONS DEFECTIVE 

IN ESSENTIAL POINTS, AND UNDESERVING THE CHA- 
RACTER OF A DIVINE REVELATION. 

When any system of belief arrogates decided 
superiority to itself, it is reasonable that the 
grounds and evidences should be clearly 
stated, in order that the truth may be fairly 
examined, and placed beyond the fear of 
reasonable doubt and exception. A mo- 
mentous question presents itself on the thresh- 
hold of inquiry, whether Revelation affords 
criteria by which pretensions to a divine origin 
may be ascertained. Reasoning a priori, as 
it is termed, it is impossible to say what kind of 



136 ISLAMISM UNSUPPORTED 

evidence God might be pleased to bestow in 
any particular case; but, judging from ana- 
logy, and what has been the usual method of 
the divine procedure, it may be fairly inferred, 
that a revelation from himself would be ac- 
credited in the usual way, Miracles and pro- 
phecy have ever been regarded as the grand 
seals of Heaven. The miracles of Moses ope- 
rated as so many incontrovertible proofs of 
his legation ; and Jesus also received attesta- 
tion among the Jews by the signs, miracles, 
and wonderful works which he performed. 

In submitting Islamism to this test, the re- 
sult must prove a death-blow to its preten- 
sions. Mohammed, in the Koran, expressly dis- 
avows the power of working miracles, and lays 
claim to none, but the intellectual one, as it is 
called, of the Koran, professing himself to be 
only a Teacher, Warner, or Admonisher. The 
importunity of the Arabians on this head gave 
him particular uneasiness, and it required all 



BY MIRACLES, 137 

his presence of mind and ready wit to furnish spe- 
cious answers and objections to such a requisi- 
tion. He repeatedly affirms that miracles a did 
not form a part of his mission, which was re- 
stricted to preaching the joys of Paradise and 
torments of Hell, together with the submission 
due to his character as an Ambassador from 
God : but when this would not satisfy the 
pertinacity of his objectors, insisting that God 
would send no man on such an errand with- 

a Gibbon observes, " The Mission of the ancient Prophets 
and of Jesus, had been confirmed by many splendid prodigies ; 
and Mahomet was repeatedly urged, by the inhabitants of Mecca 
and Medina, to produce a similar evidence of his divine legation, 
to call down from heaven the angel, or the volume of his Re- 
velation, to create a garden in the desert, or to kindle a con- 
flagration in the unbelieving city. As often as he is pressed 
by the, demands of the Koreish, he involves himself in the 
obscure boast of vision and prophecy, appeals to the internal 
proofs of his doctrine, and shields himself behind the Provi- 
dence of God, who refuses those signs and wonders that would 
depreciate the merit of faith, and aggravate the guilt of infi- 
delity. But the modest or angry tone of his apologies be- 
tray his weakness and vexation : and these passages of scandal 
establish, beyond suspicion, the integrity of the Koran."— 
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. 



138 ISLAMISM UNSUPPORTED 

out such undeniable tokens of veracity; he 
then shifts his ground, artfully expatiating 
on the inefficacy of miracles, and pretends to 
adduce instances from Scripture in proof that 
they had been slighted, and failed to produce 
conviction; and he also reminds them of 
Saleh, and other reputed Prophets of their 
own country, whose miracles had been treated 
with contempt and derision. Indeed so vehe- 
mently was he pressed on this head, that it 
required the utmost exertion of sophistry, the 
whole of his skill and tact, to weaken the in- 
jurious impressions and unfavourable conclu- 
sions likely to arise from noncompliance with 
their demands. 

The doctrine of predestination was his 
grand resort here, as in other desperate cases, 
by which they were taught to believe, that 
those whom God from all eternity had or- 
dained would be converted without miracles, 
whilst those respecting whom he had other- 



BY MIRACLES. 139 

wise determined, would not be affected by 
such means; nay, would become more ob- 
durate, and consequently exposed to greater 
condemnation. He observed, therefore, that 
God had sent him last of all his Prophets, to 
enforce obedience by the power of the sword. 
This daring attempt to impeach the utility 
of miracles speaks volumes : it not only shews 
his incompetency, but establishes our hypo- 
thesis of the reasonableness of the expectation 
that God would invest a delegate from him- 
self with some such convincing authority. 
The truth of the principle has been virtually 
acknowledged, as well by the endeavours of 
some of the Musulmans to controvert the 
use of miracles by a chain of reasoning similar 
to the above, as by the attempts of others to 
decorate their Prophet with such a power, 
notwithstanding his open disavowal. The 
former observe that God has, at different 
times, sent different Prophets into the world, 



140 ISLAMISM UNSUPPORTED 

to manifest his attributes to his creatures ; for 
instance, that Moses was sent to display more 
particularly his wonderful providence and cle- 
mency, Solomon to exhibit his wisdom and 
glory, Jesus Christ to manifest his righteous- 
ness, and Mohammed to shew forth his power. 
But the latter, composed principally b of the 
Shiah sect, have not scrupled to assign to 
Mohammed and his successors, the Imans, 
more and greater miracles than were per- 
formed by Jesus Christ and his Disciples ; 
such as that he stopped the sun in his course ; 
that he cleaved the moon in two ; that trees 
went out to meet him ; that water flowed 
from his fingers; that a beam groaned at 

b Professor Lee notices how nearly the creed of the Shiah 
agrees with that of the Catholics. Both have their Queen of 
Heaven ; the Catholics in the Virgin, the Shiah in Fatima, 
the daughter of Mohammed. The saints of both communions 
can work miracles. Both have their pilgrimages, their pur- 
gatory, their reliques, their hermits. The principal thing in 
which they differ is in the Shiah rejecting the use of images. — 
Page 349* note. 



BY MIRACLES. HI 

him, (the beam on which he leaned when 
officiating in the mosque at Medina) ; and 
that a shoulder of mutton (which story has 
been alluded to before) told him it was poi- 
soned, but it appears not till one of his fol- 
lowers had fallen a victim to its deleterious 
effects. 

But besides innumerable other miracles as- 
cribed to Mohammed % Ali is said also to 
have stopped the sun in his course, and the 
Imans successively for a long period to have 
been endued with the power of working mira- 
cles. An objection which lies at the root of 
the whole is this : that they were not recorded 
by eye-witnesses at or near the time, nor for 
some centuries after the death of Mohammed. 
They want all the other requisites to recom- 
mend them to credibility. The gross amount 
of their testimony is this, as Professor Lee ably 
remarks d : " The miracles may all be traced 

c See Persian Controversies. d Ibid, 



142 I&LAMISM UNSUPPORTED 

to the same source, Ali for instance, or Ayesha, 
or Hasan or Hosein, who delivered the ac- 
count orally to some one, who delivered to 
another in the same way ; and so on ; after 
many generations, the account is committed 
to writing by Kuleini or Bochari or some 
other respectable collector of the traditions. 
These then are copied by a number of com- 
pilers who follow, and then the number cal- 
culated to produce assurance is cited as wor- 
thy of all credit/' 

What a contrast to all this sophistry and 
fraud, either at depreciating the value of mi- 
racles or investing their prophet with an idle, 
unsupported title, is presented in the conduct 
of Jesus Christ, and the stupendous miracles 
effected by him, which were recorded at or 
near the time by the Evangelists, with every 
requisite to recommend them, and which have 
been acknowledged by enemies as well as 
friends, such as Celsus, Porphyry, Tacitus, 

4 



BY MIRACLES. 143 

and Tryphon ! It would be only lost time to 
expend more words on the subject. Moham- 
med too, according to his disciples, prophe- 
sied, but the few alleged predictions scarcely 
deserve serious notice, viz. the overthrow of 
the Koreish at Bedr e ; the tradition of his 
foretelling the battle of the ditch f ; and where 
God promises that such as believe and do 
good works shall succeed the unbelievers in 
the earth, and that he will establish their re- 
ligion s ; there is only a little policy and ma- 
nagement in all this, as also in the prediction 
of the defeat and subsequent success of the 
Greeks h ; to pass over the variety of reading 
and great obscurity in the passage, natural 
sagacity might suggest such a conclusion to 
any person from the political state of the 
Persians at the time. 

The cause of Islamism derives no support 

e Chap. 54. f Ibid. 33. * ibid. 24. 

h Ibid. 30. 



144 ISLAMISM UNSUPPORTED 

from prophecy, notwithstanding every attempt 
at imposition. It is true, Mohammed bears 
record of himself; his ready engine of fraud 
represents him as promised to Adam *, as 
foretold by Jesus Christy as expected by the 
Jews and Christians k , as a blessing to all 
creatures \ and as entering on his mission in 
his 40th year; but to what does all this 

■r 

amount ? It is merely arguing in a circle, 
and screening imposture under the mask of 
the most confident assertion. The Scriptures 
evidently do not recognise Mohammed ; but 
his followers get over this difficulty by charg- 
ing both Jews and Christians with gross cor- 
ruption of the sacred writings, and yet per- 
versely enough they make citations, and by 
the various means of alteration and far-fetched 
interpretations, try to extort something like 
Scripture testimony. 

1 Koran, Chap. 2. i Ibid. 61. k Ibid. 98. 

1 Ibid. 21. 



BY MIRACLE- 145 

The following are some of the specimens 
that may be adduced. The first promise of 
a Messiah is assumed bv Mohammed : the 
Koran, chapter 2, states, u Hereafter there 
shall come unto you a direction from me," 
which the Moslems believe was fulfilled at 
several times by the ministry of several Pro- 
phets, from Adam himself who was the first, 
to Mohammed who was the last-. 

The prediction of Moses respecting the 
prophet whom the Lord would raise up from 
among their brethren like to himself % though 
pre-occupied and attributed to Jesus by the 
inspired writers, is challenged as belonging 
to Mohammed . And, again, when Moses 
blessed the children of Israel before his death, 
he said p , "The Lord came from Sinai and 
rose up from Seir unto them ; he shined forth 
from mount Paran, and he came with ten 

m See Sale. a Deut. xviii. 5. 

° Koran, chap. 7. * Deut. xxxiiL 2. 



146 ISLAMISM UNSUPPORTED 

thousands of saints : from his right hand 
went a fiery law for them," Here they pre- 
tend that Mecca is the place meant by Paran, 
totally regardless of its geographical position, 
and thinking it an easy matter to impose on 
the credulity of mankind. Paran in Arabia 
Petraea, is no less than 500 miles distant 
from Mecca, which shews to what extremi- 
ties the abettors of a bad cause are frequently 
reduced. They also claim Psalm 1. 2, as ap- 
plicable to their prophet. An Arabic trans- 
lation has the words " Eclilan Mahmudan," 
a glorious crown, which they assert belongs 
to their favourite prophet ; but how God 
could shew his crown out of Zion is perfectly 
unintelligible, unless perhaps by changing 
Zion into Mecca, which would be just as 
easy as transforming Mecca into Paran. " A 
rider upon an ass, and a rider upon a camel q ' J 
is thus interpreted by the Musulman doc- 

q Isaiah xxi. 7. 



BY MIRACLES. 147 

tors : by the former they understand Jesus 
Christ, who made use of an ass, and by the 
latter Mohammed who rode upon the camel. 
They appropriate also r " Look unto me and 
be saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am 
God, and there is none else, I have sworn 
by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth 
in righteousness, and shall not return, that 
unto me every knee shall bow/' &c. Every 
one, says the Moolah, in the work before 
alluded to s , knows " that to serve God by 
bowing the knee has taken place at no time, 
and in no religion but that of Mohammed :" 
an assertion this which it is quite unneces- 
sary to disprove. " I will turn to the people 
a pure language ' : ,J the word Safa, which sig- 
nifies lip or language, they regard as a mere 
proper name or title of Mohammed. In the 
New Testament our Saviour informs his dis- 

1 Isaiah xlv. 22, &c. s Persian Controversies. 

* Zeph. iii. 9. 

L 2 



148 ISLAMISM UNSUPPORTED 

ciples " If I go not away, the Comforter will 
not come u '" here they assert Mohammed is 
designed by the Paraclete or Comforter, 
(though the context plainly shews the fallacy 
of the supposition) and contend that his 
name is to be seen in some copy concealed 
by the Christians. 

Such indications of imbecility are strikingly 
opposed to that full consent of harmony and 
Scripture, exemplified in the life and death 
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ! To 
instance only a few predictions: the first in- 
timation was given at the fall respecting the 
Messiah, the victorious seed of the woman, 
who was to bruise the serpent's head. The 
old Jewish Rabbins understood it in this 
sense; one of whom, Rabbi Mose, remarks 
on the words : " They have a sure and pre- 
sent remedy against thee, O Satan ; for the 
time shall come when they shall tread thee 

u John xvi. 7. 



BY MIRACLES. 149 

down by the help of Messiah, who shall be 
their King." The promise of a Redeemer is 
brought down from Adam to Noah, and from 
Noah by Shem to Abraham, about 2000 
years after Adam. The Almighty said to 
Abraham, "In thy seed shall all the nations 
of the earth be blessed V The continuation 
then of the blessed promise is from Abraham 
by Isaac y with Jacob % and Jacob being full 
of the Holy Ghost, pointed out his son Ju- 
dah a , from whom Shiloh (the branch of life) 
should proceed ; and the aera of Christ's ap- 
pearance is also fixed ; " The sceptre shall 
not depart from Judah, nor a law-giver from 
beneath his feet, until Shiloh come/ J all 
which happened accordingly. 

Various particulars are every where inter- 
spersed respecting him. The place of his 
birth is pointed out b ; that he should be born 

x Gen. xii. 3.; xviii. 18.; xxii. 18. y Gen. xxvi. 4. 

z Gen. xxviii. 14. a Gen. xlix. 10. 

b Numb. xxiv. 17, &c. Micah v. 2. 



150 ISLAMISM UNSUPPORTED 

of a Virgin c , that he should work miracles d . 
The time when he was to appear 6 . The angel 
Gabriel signifies both his birth and death f . 
Isaiah enters almost into the history of his 
death 2 : the intent and design of the same: 
his resurrection from the dead is predicted 6 , 
and his ascension into heaven is foretold 1 . 
Above are a few citations from a regular, well- 
connected series of prophecy, which have re- 
ceived accomplishment in Jesus, and in him 
alone. 

But, passing over the argument from mi- 
racles and prophecy, in which Islamism is 
notoriously deficient, we approach the inter- 
nal evidence, and discern there grounds equally 
strong for rejecting it as an imposture. Mo- 
hammedanism does not accord with former 

c Isa. vii. 14. Jer. xxxi. 22. d Jsa. xxxv. 5. 

e Gen. xlix. 10. Numb. xxiv. 17. Haggai ii. 7. 

Malachi iii. 1. f Dan, ix. 24. s Ibid. liii. 1. 

h Psa. xvi. 10.— xxx. 3.— xli. 10. — cxviii. 17. Hoseavi. 2. 
1 Psa. xvi. 11.— xxiv, 7. — lxviii. 18. — ex. 1. — cxviii. 19. 



BY MIRACLES. 151 

dispensations, allowedly proceeding from 
God: it is obviously neither the confirmation 
or counterpart of any preceding revelation. 
Christianity is to Judaism what the splendor 
of the meridian sun is to the dawning day : 
the crescent of Mohammed is indicative of the 
dark night of error and confusion, in which 
its votaries are involved. w To him was given 
the key of the bottomless pit, and there arose 
a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great 
furnace : and the sun and the air were dark- 
ened by reason of the smoke of the pit k ." 
Mohammedanism opposes the Gospel in the 
most essential part, and that which renders it 
worthy of all acceptation, viz. as a remedial 
dispensation in the hands of a Mediator, ex- 
actly suited to the wants and circumstances 
of fallen creatures ; just as if no previous noti- 
fication had been given of its interesting de- 
sign, viz. " God in Christ reconciling the world 

k Rev. ix. 12. 



152 ISLAMISM UNSUPPORTED 

to himself, and not imputing their trespasses 
unto them." This marked distinction be- 
tween the two systems betrays at once the 
origin and objects of Mohammed's scheme : 
his compilation, as may be seen from the pre- 
ceding chapter, is luscious and sweet ; know- 
ing that men are easily disposed to espouse 
what gratifies the flesh ; or it is accommodat- 
ing, as the Pagans could not at once be won 
over from their superstitions, and something 
was to be conceded to Jews and Christians ; 
or, if some austerities be prescribed, as fasting, 
pilgrimage, &c. it fixes man upon his own 
bottom, by making them meritorious ; thus 
gratifying the lusts and prejudices, or feeding 
the pride of his votaries. 

No wonder then from such a religion, all 
the pecular doctrines of revelation are dis- 
carded. Such is the case with regard to 
the doctrine of the triune nature of God, 
described as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 



BY MIRACLES. 153 

existing in the Unity of the Divine Essence, 
and as regards the offices which they respec- 
tively sustain in the grand work of Redemp- 
tion. This truth was partially revealed under 
the Old Testament dispensation, but more 
clearly explained by Jesus and his Disciples. 
The Koran speaks of God, the Word and the 
Spirit, but in ignorance or unbelief, " Say 
not there are three Gods, forbear this, it will 
be better for you l ." 

The imputing to Christians a belief in 
three or a plurality of Gods, is a mere 
gratuitous assertion or palpable misrepre- 
sentation. The Unity of the Godhead 
forms as fundamental an article in the 
Christian code, as it did in that of the Jews 
before them. In acknowledging however a 
three-fold existence in one Jehovah Elohim, 
constituting in a mysterious manner the Unity 
in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity, they em- 

4 

1 Chapter 4. 



154 ISLAMISM UNSUPPORTED 

brace a doctrine consonant with Scripture, 
and though surpassing yet not involving any 
thing contradictory to right reason, otherwise 
there would be fair ground for exception. 

In Genesis i. the united influence of the 
sacred Three in One is manifested in the 
creation of the world : the name of God in 
the original Hebrew implies a plurality, and 
the name and various attributes of God 
are interchangeably applied in Scripture to 
Father, Son and Holy Ghost, three Persons 
represented as subsisting in the Unity of the 
Divine Essence. God the Father dwells in 
majesty inaccessible, whom no man hath 
seen or can see : the only begotten Son, the 
Messiah, the brightness of the Father's glory 
and express image of his person, has revealed 
Him and his gracious purposes to mankind : 
the Holy Ghost in various ways ratifies and 
attests the truth, and applies the promises of 
the Gospel to the hearts of believers. In a 



BY MIRACLES. 155 

revelation respecting the Divine nature diffi- 
culties will occur ; we see and know only in 
part : fully to comprehend the subject is be- 
yond the grasp of our limited faculties. We 
cannot explain, how flesh, blood and spirit 
form one man ; and who by searching can find 
out God, and enter fully into the nature of 
that great and incomprehensible Being who 
inhabits eternity ? The three-fold agency 
was visible at the baptism of Jesus Christ, and 
confirmed in his charge to the disciples, " Go 
into all the world and preach the Gospel to 
every creature, baptizing them in the name 
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
Holy Ghost, and lo ! I am with you always, 
even unto the end of the world/' This arti- 
cle of the Christian faith is insisted on by 
St. John, and recognised in the apostolic form 
of benediction, " The grace of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, and the love of God, and the fellow- 
ship of the Holy Ghost be with you/' St. 

8 



156 ISLAMISM UNSUPPORTED 

Paul also m separately addresses each person 
in the Godhead. 

It is not consistent with our plan to enter 
largely into these and other arguments, cor- 
roborative of the truth, but thus much must 
be said, that where such lamentable ignorance 
of Scripture prevails as in Mohammedan 
countries, less confident assertion and deeper 
acquaintance with the subject would be highly 
desirable. This doctrine was no novel inven- 
tion ; because as the learned author of the 
Christian Researches has well remarked n , 
" The doctrine of the Trinity, the incarnation 
of the Deity, and vicarious atonement by 
shedding of blood, and the influences of the 
Spirit were the subject of revelation long be- 
fore Mohammed appeared; and though 
greatly obscured, yet vestiges of them are 
to be found, amidst grossest darkness, and 
such marked outlines, as shew the source 



m 



Rom. xv. 16, &c. n Dr. Buchanan, p. 261. 



BY MIRACLES. 157 

from whence they are derived." He notices 
that the Hindoos worship one God as subsist- 
ing in three persons, and their ancient repre- 
sentation of the Deity is formed of one body 
and three faces, as in the celebrated temple of 
Elephanta, in an island near Bombay, which 
is of very high antiquity, and as he justly 
considers one of the wonders of the world. 
The learned doctor subjoins : " These doc- 
trines are unquestionably relics of the first 
faith of the earth ; they bear the strong cha- 
racter of God's primary revelation to man, 
which neither the power of man, nor time 
itself has been able to destroy, but which 
have endured from age to age, like the works 
of nature, the moon and the stars which God 
hath created incorruptible !" 

Together with the doctrine of the Trinity, 
it necessarily follows, that the divinity and 
offices both of Jesus Christ and the Spirit are 
discarded. The Koran says " They are infi- 



158 ISLAMISM UNSUPPORTED 

dels who say, God is Christ, the son of Mary." 
Again, cs The Christians say, Christ is the Son 
of God, may God resist them p ." Christ, as 
to his Divine nature, existed as God from all 
eternity; as to his human nature which he 
assumed into union with the divine, he was 
man born into the world, and in his mediato- 
rial character he sustained the part of a ser- 
vant to the Father, in ushering and consum- 
mating in his own person, the last and finished 
dispensation to which all former revelation 
was only introductory. 

According to the before-mentioned histo- 
rian, the Hindoos believe that the second 
person in the Trinity was manifested in the 
flesh. The doctrine of atonement by the 
shedding of blood is likewise observable in 
their custom, when the people of Hindostan 
bring the goat or kid to the temple, and the 
priest sheds the blood of the innocent victim. 

• Chapter 5. p Ibid. 9, 



BY MIRACLES. 159 

The influences of the Spirit are also strongly 
alluded to in their sacred writings' 3 . The 
Spirit is frequently named in the Koran, but 
not in the scriptural sense. Many passages 
occur in which divine attributes are ascribed 
to the Spirit; such, for instance, as omni- 
science. Compare Jeremiah xvii. 10., with 
1 Cor. ii. 10. Eternity also is ascribed, com- 
pare Deut. xxxiii. 27, with Hebrews ix. 4. ; 
and for wisdom compare Jude 25, with Ephe- 
sians i. 17. In fine, without unnecessarily pro- 
longing this part of the discussion, it may 
fairly be inferred, that such as the Father is, 
such is the Son, and such the Holy Ghost. It 
is far easier to cavil than to disprove the ac- 
curacy of the inference. 

The doctrine of the Trinity is charge- 
able with difficulties, but they are by no 
means of a nature to brand its advocates 
with the charge of Polytheism. Temperate 

q See Dr. Buchanan. 



160 ISLAMISM UNSUPPORTED 

discussion may do much to illustrate the 
mystery, but no good will ever occur by 
giving up the outworks of our faith in ac- 
commodation to the foolish and mistaken 
prejudices of others. Sale, in his preface, 
recommends a rule in regard to the Moham- 
medans which Bishop Kidder prescribes for 
the conversion of the Jews, viz. not to quit 
any article of the Christian faith to gain the 
Mohammedans. He designates it " as a fond 
conceit of the Socinians to expect to gain 
them over on their principles ; the Church of 
Rome must part with many practices and 
some doctrines ; we are not so much to win 
them over to a system of dogmas as to the 
ancient and primitive faith." But difficulties 
attach not only to Christianity: notwith- 
standing all the boasts of Unity, even that is 
violated by some of the Musulmans consider- 
ing the Koran as uncreate, and the charge of 
holding two Gods may as justly be retorted 



BY MIRACLES. 161 

upon them, as that of three Gods on those 
who hold the doctrine of the Trinity in a sense 
inseparably connected with the Unity of the 
Godhead, 

But, further, in contrasting Christianity 
with the Moslem faith, this striking difference 
is observable, that Christ having released us 
from the yoke of the ceremonial law, which in 
him received its full accomplishment, has in- 
troduced us into a state of freedom and near- 
ness with our Maker; we are no longer in sub- 
jection to the weak and beggarly elements, 
but receive the spirit of adoption, and the 
privileges of children. 

Mohammedanism is a law of works, witness 
the retention of various ceremonies from the 
yoke of which Christ has released us, such as 
circumcision, pilgrimage, fasting, innumerable 
forms in prayer, purifications, ablutions, dis- 
tinctions of meat and other observances, 
which though mostly derived from the Jews, 

M 



162 ISLAMISM UNSUPPORTED 

and useful and significant under that particu- 
lar economy, becomes a senseless imposition 
and grievous burden on the Musulmans, be- 
cause among the former people, they had a 
typical meaning and reference, and were in- 
tended as temporary and preparatory to a 
future and more perfect dispensation under 
the Messiah, intimations of which had been 
frequently given by the prophets ; whilst as 
far as the Musulmans are concerned, these 
impositions degenerate into unmeaning forms, 
or badges of vassalage and subjection. Jesus 
Christ enjoined two ordinances as of perpetual 
obligation in his Church, viz. Baptism and 
the Lord's Supper, the one an initiatory rite 
performed on our admission into the Church, 
the other a standing ordinance commemora- 
tive of our Lord's death to be often received, 
as a proof of our adherence to the faith and 
devotedness to his service. 

Again, Islamism, like all other systems of 



BY MIRACLES. 163 

mere human invention betrays an imperfect 
standard of morality. Many striking beau- 
ties occur in the writings of the illustrious 
sages of Greece and Rome : but after all, 
there is wanting a consistent code of ethics, to 
furnish which was evidently beyond their abi- 
lities : the character of their virtuous man is 
objectionable ; however some parts may agree 
with moral fitness, yet upon the whole, serious 
incongruities abound in the delineation for 
want of an exact rule and criterion by which 
their judgment might be informed and regu- 
lated. How could it be otherwise, when their 
deities were mixed characters of virtue and 
vice ? So that incoherence, confusion, and 
errors were necessarily interwoven throughout 
the whole of their mythology. 

Mohammedanism is liable to the same ex- 
ception, though with less excuse, because it 
had a better model from which to copy. The 
character of God is not consistently supported 

m 2 



164 ISLAMISM UNSUPPORTED 

in the Koran : the God of Mohammed (though 
professedly that of Abraham) is represented 
at one time as commanding the slaughter of 
the captives, at another time as regulating the 
division of the spoil ; at another, as clearing 
the Prophet's wife from aspersions against 
her chastity; at another, as sanctioning the 
uxorious excesses of the Prophet, and enact- 
ing regulations of a family or private nature ; 
so that there is a want of propriety and con- 
sistency in the detail, even as regards the su- 
preme Object of worship, which affects the 
whole system, and presents a striking contrast. 
Christianity conveys the most exalted no- 
tions of the Great Supreme, whether as the 
God of nature or of grace. The beautiful 
copy of the divine perfections, as exhibited to 
us in the Scriptures, presents a striking tran- 
script and finished portrait of all conceivable 
virtue. Love to God and man is inculcated 
on the purest and most exalted principles : 



BY MIRACLES. 165 

the due subjection and regulation of our pas- 
sions, forgiveness of injuries, humility, resig- 
nation, and the like, are brought into notice, 
whilst many supposed virtues are discarded 
and deprived of their usurped dominion ; such 
for example as revenge, which Aristotle and 
Cicero mention with commendation, and 
which also the Koran sanctions. Christianity 
forms the only system of virtue worthy of 
heaven, and perfective of human nature. Its 
symmetry, both as a whole and as to the parts, 
is beautiful, consistent, and unexceptionable ! 
Besides incorrect opinions respecting God, 
and the imperfect scale of virtue that must 
result therefrom, Islamism, in common with 
other svstems, labours under a further disad- 
vantage through the want of a living example, 
embodying the precepts of virtue, to which 
reference might be made on all occasions, as 
a standard or pattern: for, though distin- 
guished characters have possessed excellencies 



166 ISLAMISM UNSUPPORTED 

to a certain extent, yet no one ever appeared 
amongst mankind, whose precepts and ex- 
ample combined, furnished a living and unex- 
ceptionable guide or directory. Nothing like 
this is to be found in the writings of antiquity, 
or in the Koran : the greatest virtues and 
vices are strangely intermixed in the examples 
of ancient days, and, without enlargement, 
just exceptions may be made to the personal 
character of the Prophet of Arabia. But in 
the Gospel, Jesus is exhibited as the model of 
every virtue, both as relates to God and man ; 
who did no sin, but was holy, harmless, and 
separate from sinners, the image of God, ex- 
emplifying the divine perfections as far as they 
were cognizable by the human understanding. 
In delineating his life, the Evangelists have 
soared far beyond the utmost efforts of human 
genius. 

The want of an adequate motive to in- 
fluence the heart and practice, is a further 



BY MIRACLES. 167 

defect in codes of human fabrication, without 
which morality degenerates into expediency, 
or mere selfishness. Here Christianity pos- 
sesses an unspeakable advantage. Submission 
is due to Christ necessarily as the Head of his 
people, in the same manner as the leaders of 
various sects, or the Prophet of Arabia, chal- 
lenge obedience from their followers: but 
there is a far more powerful and engaging 
motive of love, gratitude, and subjection, to 
him as the Saviour, who died that they who 
live should not henceforth live unto them- 
selves, but unto him who died for them and 
rose again : thus a spirit of filial love and at- 
tachment is produced in the hearts of Be- 
lievers, whose obedience springs from the 
noblest principle, not the compulsion of a 
slave, but the affection and duty of a child ! 

Connected with inferior motives is the want 
of appropriate sanction : in this the Heathens 
were deficient, the authority of whose philo- 



168 ISLAMISM UNSUPPORTED 

sophers seldom extended beyond their parti- 
cular sphere ; their noblest efforts were there- 
fore circumscribed in their operation, princi- 
pally influencing their own disciples, and a 
few of the learned. No teacher was of suffi- 
cient weight to command general attention, 
and enforce it by suitable sanction. This 
forcibly applies to Islamism : for, though the 
Musulmans regard their Prophet as the Envoy 
of Heaven, yet how weak are their ties and 
obligations to obedience, in comparison with 
that solemn attestation borne to the character 
of Jesus in the Gospel ! A voice from Heaven 
proclaimed respecting him, " This is my be- 
loved Son : hear him/' — iC All power," says 
the ascending and triumphant Saviour, " is 
given unto me in heaven and in earth. I am 
Alpha and Ouiega : the first and the last: I 
am He who was dead, and am alive again, 
and I have the keys of death and hell. I know 
my sheep, and am known of mine, and they 



BY MIRACLES. 169 

shall never perish, neither shall any pluck 
them out of my hand." 

A further error, subversive of other systems, 
is a total want of assistance in the perform- 
ance of duty. No suitable provision is made 
for the helplessness and infirmity of human 
nature. Subject as we are to so many weak- 
nesses and imperfections, in every stage of 
life, with the best of rules to regulate our 
practice, the noblest example, motives and 
sanctions to guide, warm, and impress our 
hearts, yet we should fail lamentably in duty 
without help from above. It is not in man to 
direct his steps : " Hold thou up my goings 
in thy way, that my footsteps sjip not," was 
the prayer of the Psalmist, and is agreeable 
to the experience of our own breasts. Now 
there is no counterpoise for this disease of our 
nature any where but in that revelation which 
gives the promise of the Spirit, to enlighten 
our understandings, excite good desires, and 



170 ISLAMISM UNSUPPORTED 

assist us with grace, without which our efforts 
would prove unavailing ; and therefore, in the 
Christian Religion we are taught to expect 
the assistance of God's Holy Spirit, and as- 
sured that God will vouchsafe the same to 
those who devoutly seek it. 

But, lastly, the two systems are in com- 
plete variance as to their end and design. 
While one can be regarded only as an artful 
contrivance to draw nations over to the faith 
of Islam, and strengthening the delusion that 
has too long prevailed, perpetuating war and 
blood-shed : Christianity tenders its blessings 
to mankind without interfering with any mode 
of government, or upholding any temporal 
interests ; it proclaims its kingdom not of 
this world, disclaims all appeals to the sword, 
and seeks to establish a spiritual dominion, 
enlightening the mind, converting the heart, 
sanctifying the affections, and subjecting the 
passions to its mild control : it offers present 



BY MIRACLES. 171 

comfort and future happiness through the 
Saviour. " I tell you," says Christ, " my 
sheep are not restricted to any particular 
fold : many shall come from the north and 
south and set down with Abraham, Isaac, 
and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven : sal- 
vation and forgiveness of sins are to be pro- 
claimed to all nations through the Saviour, 
beginning at Jerusalem where he was cruci- 
fied, and proceeding from thence to every 
clime, without distinction or difference as to 
the parties, every one possessing a rational 
soul, and capable of being the subject of divine 
revelation, is invited to participate in these 
privileges r . 

r The Seeks or Sikhs profess to have improved on Moham- 
medanism. " In the religion of this people, the fables of 
Mohammedanism are united with the absurdities of the Hindu 
superstition, for Nanac Shah, the founder of the nation, 
wished to harmonize hoth. Born in a province on the ex- 
treme verge of India, at the very point where the religion of 
Mohammed, and the. idolatrous worship of the Hindus ap- 
peared to touch, and at a time (the middle of the fifteenth 



172 ISLAMISM UNSUPPORTED, &c. 

These topics might be considerably en- 
larged, but the question at issue is not in 
fact between Christianity and Mohammedan- 
ism, but between Christianity and no reli- 
gion whatever; for we have seen, that the 
Moslem faith is untenable on any ground : 
it receives no countenance or support from 
miracles or prophecy : is opposed to former 
dispensations, and labours under such insu- 
perable defects, as sufficiently shew, that it 
could not proceed from God. 

century,) when both tribes cherished the most violent rancour 
and animosity against each other, the great aim of this bene- 
volent fanatic was to blend these jarring elements in peaceful 
union." — See Mills, page 421. 

It is lamentable to see how error is engendered in endless 
perpetuity ; nothing can prove effectual to the conversion and 
healing of the nations, save that volume, which, as Locke has 
beautifully expressed it, " has God for its author, salvation for 
its end, and truth without any alloy of error for its matter." 



CHAPTER V. 



THE SCRIPTURES VINDICATED FROM THE CHARGE OF 
CORRUPTION : SEVERAL MOHAMMEDAN INACCURACIES 
SPECIFIED. 

Controversy, when conducted with can- 
dour and suitable information, has a tendency 
to heal prejudice and elicit truth : innumer- 
able obstacles, moral and physical, impede 
the progress of the human mind, — to remove 
and rectify which, requires the most persever- 
ing industry and research : hence the labours 
of the learned are invaluable ; by unlocking 
the stores of antiquity, and contributing the 
improvements of modern days, they are ena- 
bled, on satisfactory principles, to discuss 
matters of science and history, and arrive at 



174 THE SCRIPTURES UNCORRUPTED. 

conclusions which tend to confirm and esta- 
blish particular facts. The questions for pre- 
sent discussion are, whether certain writings a 
(by which we mean the canonical Scriptures,) 
existed from high antiquity? — and whether 

n Various opinions have been held respecting the method 
of ascertaining the Canonical authority of the different books 
of Scripture. 1st. The Papists maintain that they derive 
their authority from the power of their Church, which would 
render the "Word of God dependent on the Pope or Council. 
2dly. Others that they appear true from their own internal 
evidence and powerful influence on the heart, which doctrine 
is not quite satisfactory, for excellent as the books are, yet 
had some Apocryphal pieces been inserted in the Canon, it is 
not likely that every Christian would have distinguished be- 
tween them and the books we receive, when we consider how 
various and divided the sentiments of Christians are who agree 
in the same Canon. St. Paul, though he knew his own wri- 
tings from God, yet cautions the Thessalonians to distinguish 
his real ones from what were supposititious. 3rdly. Some add 
the testimony of the Spirit, which may be an argument to a 
man's self, but could not well be employed to convince ano- 
ther, for instance, an Heathen or Unbeliever. The main and 
principal method of determining the point, is by searching 
into the most ancient and authentic records of Christianity, 
and finding out the testimony or tradition of those who lived 
nearest the time in which the books were written. — See 
Jones' new and full Method, &c. 



THE SCRIPTURES UNCORRUPTED. 175 

they have come down to us, in the main, 
pure and uncorrupted ? 

The first question will be easily disposed 
of: few, if any, will be found hardy enough, 
in opposition to the mass of evidence which 
can be produced, to controvert the existence 
of such writings ; but, as the admission of an 
adversary may be deemed conclusive, and 
Mohammed concedes the point ; our attention 
is particularly required to the second ques- 
tion, whether they have been transmitted to 
us, in the main, pure and uncorrupted ? Mo- 
hammed and his followers reply in the nega- 
tive, we have powerful reasons for embracing 
the contrary opinion. 

First, then, it may be premised, there was 
a violent motive for Mohammed's endeavour- 
ing to impeach the integrity of the sacred 
text, because in proportion to the benefit 
which his cause might have derived from tes- 
timony there borne in his favour, so much the 

1 



176 THE SCRIPTURES UNCORRUPTED. 

greater must have been his anxiety to coun- 
teract the injurious impressions likely to result 
from total silence respecting his claims. Mo- 
hammed found it necessary to allow the pro- 
phetical characters of Moses and Jesus : po- 
licy dictated the measure as essential to the 
success of his enterprise ; but it would not do 
to hazard his cause on their testimony, and 
an alternative remained, to which (dreadful 
as it was) he was compelled to resort. The 
feuds and endless disputes of Jews and Chris- 
tians furnished him with a plausible pretext 
for imputing corruption to the sacred writ- 
ings, and the Koran would readily vouch his 
veracity \ Such a mode of procedure might 
suffice at a dark and troublesome period, 
when access to proper sources of information 
was difficult, and his power intimidating, but 

b Mohammed boldly charges both Jews and Christians with 
altering the text, and expunging the passages favourable to 
his pretensions. 



THE SCRIPTURES UNCORRUPTED. 177 

conceding its temporary efficacy, never could 
succeed, when information should prevail, and 
a spirit of investigation be excited. These 
artifices, doubtless, facilitated his views, and 
strengthened the system in its incipient state, 
but those motives, either of interest or fear, 
which led men to embrace a cause without 
examining its evidence, have long since ceased 
to operate : the merits remain precisely the 
same, and are to be candidly and fairly ap- 
preciated. 

To suppose a confederacy among Jews and 
Christians, for the purposes of erasing from 
their Scriptures testimony favourable to Mo- 
hammed, involves absurdity and impossi- 
bility. Scattered as they were throughout 
all the world, and armed with mutual jea- 
lousy and hatred, it cannot for a moment be 
imagined that they would unite for such an 
object, or alter their respective copies in these 
particular places. Such hardy assertion, de- 

N" 



178 THE SCRIPTURES UNCORRUPTED. 

void of all probability, and uttered on his 
own responsibility, attests the badness of his 
cause, and is an act of the most ruthless 
aggression, poisoning the very sources of 
knowledge, attaching undue suspicion, and 
barring up every avenue to improvement. In 
fine, it was, as far as in him lay, perpetuating 
the dominion of endless and irremediable 
ignorance in the world. Mohammed does 
not commit himself by citing the Scriptures 
expressly by name, but shelters himself under 
vague and loose generalities. The amount of 
specific charge which can be collected from 
the Koran and its commentators, brought 
against the Old Testament, and intimating 
corruption in the law of Moses, is a pretended 
omission respecting the punishment due to 
adultery. 

- Beidawi informs us c , that Mohammed 
once proposed in a synagogue, that the Pen- 

c See Koran, chap. 5, notes. 



THE SCRIPTURES UNCORRUPTED. 179 

tateuch should decide the question between 
him and the Jews, which they declined ; but 
Jallalo'ddin records an instance, where two 
persons of the Jewish religion having com- 
mitted adultery, and their punishment being 
referred to Mohammed, he gave sentence 
that they should be stoned, according to the 
law of Moses : the Jews refused, alledging 
that there was no such command ; but, on 
Mohammed's appealing to the book, the said 
law was found, and the sentence executed 
accordingly. 

This law is mentioned in the New Testa- 
ment, though the authenticity of the passage 
has been questioned : it is not discoverable in 
the Hebrew or Samaritan Pentateuch, or in 
the Septuagint; only a general direction is 
given that such offenders should be put to 
death. But if this single passage be meant 
to invalidate the Pentateuch, the stress laid 
upon it is far more than can be fairly sup- 

n 2 



180 THE SCRIPTURES UNCORRUPTED. 

ported. We allow that the sentence d is for 
death generally, without particularizing the 
mode, yet in the recapitulation of the penal 
laws \ from the particular connection in which 
the passage occurs, it may be fairly inferred 
that stoning to death was the original punish- 
ment for such offence. 

In the New Testament the Musulmans 
accuse the Christians of corruption in those 
passages which relate to the Comforter f ; for 
the Koran broadlv affirms s , " Jesus the son of 
Mary, said. O children of Israel, verily I am the 
Apostle of God sent unto you, confirming the 
law which was delivered before me, and bring- 
ing good tidings of an Apostle who shall come 
after me, and whose name shall be Ahmed." 
He Mohammedan Doctors teach, that by the 
Paraclete, their Prophet is intended, and no 
other: though the context plainly proves the 

a Levit. xx. 10. £ Deut. xxii. 22, &c. 

' John xvj. 7 8 - See chap. 61. 



THE SCRIPTURES UNCORRUPTED. 181 

absurdity of such an opinion, and the irrecon- 
cileable difference between Mohammed and 
the promised Comforter. As to the name of 
their Prophet occurring in the Gospel of Bar- 
nabas, as sometimes alledged, the answer is, 
that it was of no weight and authority among 
the Christians, the work of Sectaries, and the 
particular name an interpolation h . Waving 
general assertions, to which no importance 
can be attached, the specific amount of testi- 
mony, in support of such a serious accusation, 
may be resolved into the above, which Mo- 
hammed and his followers would deem suffi- 
cient for invalidating the credibility of the 
Scriptures. 

The integrity of the sacred text has been so 
satisfactorily i shewn by Collators, that it 

h See Jones. 
See Jones's New and Full Method, &c. On this sub- 
ject Bishop Tomline's Elements of Christian Theology may- 
be advantageously consulted, comprising valuable matter of 
every description, relating to the writings of the Old and New 
Testament, in a moderate compass. The following, according 



182 THE SCRIPTURES UNCORRUPTED. 

would be superfluous to enlarge on that head ; 

but without entering into discussion, it has 

to his Lordship, are the places and times of writing the books 
of the New Testament. 

A.D. 

St. Matthew • .Judsea * 38 

St. Mark ....Rome •••• • 65 

St. Luke ...... Greece ................ 63 

St. John Asia Minor 97 

Acts •••.•••! Greece • • • 64 

Romans Corinth 58 

1 Corinthians ••Ephesus ••••• 56 

2 Corinthians • ♦ Macedonia 51 

Galatians • • • • Corinth or Macedonia • • • • 52 

Ephesians .... Rome 61 

Philippians .... Rome • 62 

Colossians • • • • Rome 62 

1 and 2 Thessalonians . . Corinth • • • • 52 

1 Timothy ...... Macedonia 64 

2 Timothy Rome 65 

Titus ••••.... Greece or Macedonia • • • • 64 

Philemon Rome 62 

Hebrews •••••• Rome • • • • 63 

St. James • • • • Jerusalem 61 

1 St. Peter Rome 64 

2 St. Peter Rome 65 

1 St. John • •'•••• Judea 69 

2 St. John Ephesus 69 

3 St. John Ephesus • 69 

St. Jude •••••• Unknown • • 70 

Revelation • • • • Patmos 95 or 96 

1 



THE SCRIPTURES UNGORRUPTED. 183 

been proved by evidence fairly decisive in 
such matters, that the canonical books as re- 
cognised by the primitive Christians, and 
transmitted to our days, are supported by 
clearer proofs of their genuineness and authen- 
ticity, and have come down to us less injured 
than any documents of antiquity. The Apo- 
cryphal and spurious writings to which allu* 
sion has been made, and which Mohammed 
seems principally to have employed, never 
received universal assent, but were rejected 
from the canon; some were of posterior date 

Professor Lee takes a very able and satisfactory view of the 
question in three sections. 1. Examination of the question 
whether any corruption of the Scriptures took place during the 
Babylonian captivity. 2. Whether any corruption of the 
Scriptures took place soon after the birth of our Lord. The 
nature of the arguments drawn from a consideration of the 
different versions stated. And after making due allowance 
for certain varieties of reading, the conclusion drawn, that no 
corruption has taken place. 3. The opinions of Dr. Kenni- 
cott and others, on the general corruption of the Hebrew Scrip- 
tures examined. The testimony of Capellus as to the versions. 
The principal varieties discoverable in the manuscripts do not 
affect the general declarations of the Scriptures on points re- 
lating to religion. — Persian Controversies. 



184 THE SCRIPTURES UNCORRUPTED. 

to the period assigned them ; others were 
forgeries and party inventions, containing 
internal marks of fallacy, circulated for a par- 
ticular purpose, and left as creatures of chance 
or expediency to the destiny that awaits such 
productions : they are almost involved in ob- 
livion and forgetfulness, and merely appealed 
to in the writings of the learned, as proofs of 
various, pernicious, ephemeral errors, making 
the only amends in their power for former 
mischiefs by bearing reluctant testimony in 
favour of genuine Christianity. The credit 
of the Canon of Scripture received among 
Christians cannot be shaken by bare assertion, 
being a question of literary research, it must 
be dealt with accordingly. The biblical stu- 
dent will be furnished with an easv refutation 
of the charge of corruption, and obtain full 
satisfaction on the subject, by reference to the 
labours of those who have instituted a critical 
examination of manuscripts, and favoured the 



THE SCRIPTURES UNCORRUPTED. 185 

world with the gratifying results of their un- 
dertaking. On this point, it has been well 
observed, " Many various readings of a trivial 
kind have been discovered, but scarcely any 
of real consequence. These differences are 
indeed of so little moment, that it is some- 
times absurdly objected to the laborious 
work of Dr. Kennicott, which contains the 
collations of nearly seven hundred Hebrew 
manuscripts, that it does not enable us to 
correct a single important passage in the Old 
Testament; whereas, that very circumstance 
implies, that we have in fact derived from that 
excellent undertaking the greatest advantage 
which could have been wished for by any 
real friend of revealed religion ; viz. the cer- 
tain knowledge of the agreement of the copies 
of the ancient Scriptures, now extant in their 
original language, with each other, and with 
our Bibles V 

k Elements of Christian Theology. 



186 THE SCRIPTURES UNCORRUPTED. 

The Vatican and Alexandrian manuscripts, 
and also that of Beza, in the public library of 
the University at Cambridge, are assigned 
by the learned to an era prior to Moham- 
medanism, and contain nothing favourable to 
the pretensions of the Arabian prophet. 
Where nothing could be found substantiating 
his assumption, he is reduced to the necessity 
of imputing wilful corruption to the Scrip- 
tures, and bearing record of himself. And to 
a certain extent his plan succeeded.* The di- 
vinity of his mission and the inspiration of 
the Koran being acknowledged, whatever 
might be the motives, he was strongly in- 
trenched, and could safely assert what hardly 
any would dare to disprove. Superior power 
gave a sanction to his fabrications, or at least 
placed him beyond apprehension of conse- 
quences. Mohammed avails himself of this 
privilege to an unbounded extent and licence, 
changing facts in the Old and New Testa- 



THE SCRIPTURES UNCORRUPTED, 187 

ment, with a total disregard to any thing like 
veracity. Largely as he has borrowed from 
the Scriptures, yet hardly anything is intro- 
duced without a great admixture of puerility: 
the matter is debased, and grossest errors pre- 
vail as to persons, facts, and dates, and nume- 
rous inconsistencies. The references to the 
Old Testament include particulars of Adam, 
Cain, Enoch, Heber, Noah, Abraham, Lot, 
the destruction of Sodom, Isaac, Ishmael, 
Joseph, Moses, Pharaoh, Jethro, the red 
heifer 1 , Joshua, David, Saul, and Goliath, 
Solomon, Elias, Jonah and the Ninevites; in 
all which the narrative is difigured and facts 
frequently altered. For instance, what is so 
pathetically related of Abraham's offering up 
his son Isaac, which has been viewed as typi- 
cal of the death of Christ on Calvary, is trans- 
ferred over to Ishmael, their favourite prophet, 
from whom they boast their descent m . Ha- 

1 Numb. xix. m Koran, ch. 37. 



188 THE SCRIPTURES UNCORRUPTED. 

man is represented as the prime minister of 
Pharaoh ; Gideon in his conduct at the river 
is mistaken for Saul \ Moses and Elias are 
described as cotemporary °. The Virgin Mary 
is called sister of Aaron, and John and Zacha- 
rias are confounded together p , &c. 

Such blunders may well throw discredit on 
the Koran, notwithstanding all the ingenuity 
that has been displayed by his followers at 
solving objections and reconciling discrepan- 
cies ! But in the New Testament, this licen- 
tiousness is coupled with blasphemy. All 
essential facts respecting Christ are suppressed, 
and trifling, ridiculous stories from apocry- 
phal writings supply the place. Nay more 
than this, Christ is brought forward as dis- 
claiming all title to divinity, and asserting his 
mere humanity. The angel Gabriel also se- 
conds the illusion which he so pathetically 

n Compare Judges vii. 5. with Koran, ch. 11. 

° Koran, chap. 18. p Ibid. chap. 17, note. 



THE SCRIPTURES UNCORRUPTED. 189 

pointed out to Daniel, yea and acts diame- 
trically opposite to what was revealed by his 
intervention to Zachariah, Elizabeth, and 
Mary, respecting the Saviour : indeed he 
upholds tenets quite subversive of the primi- 
tive faith, and subjects himself to the ana- 
thema of the Apostle, " If we or an angel 
from heaven preach any other gospel than 
that ye have received, let him be anathema 
maran-atha." 



CHAPTER VI. 



THE HISTORY OF JESUS IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE 
KORAN, WITH NOTES AND REFLECTIONS. 

In relating the history of our blessed Lord 
and Saviour Jesus Christ, it has been thought 
adviseable to use the words of the Koran a , that 
the grossness of the error might appear from 
its own statements, its agreement with spurious 
Apocryphal pieces be fairly ascertained, and 
how little of genuine Christianity enters into 
its composition. To avoid repetition, of va- 
rious passages recording the same event, one 
only has been retained as sufficient for the 
purpose. Our selection comprises the sub- 
stance of the life of Jesus, in the order of the 

a The chapters of the Koran in which allusion is made to 
Jesus are, chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. 19. 23. 33. 43. 
57. 61. 



LIFE OF CHRIST, &c. 191 

chapters, according to Sale's translation of the 
Koran. 

Chap. % Entitled the Cow. — " We formerly 

delivered the book of the law unto Moses, and 

« 

caused Apostles to succeed him, and gave 
evident miracles to Jesus the Son of Mary, 
and strengthened b him with the Holy Spirit." 
Chap. 3. Entitled the Family of Imram c . — 
" Remember when the Wife of Imram said, 
Lord, verily I have vowed unto thee that 
which is in my womb, to be dedicated to thy 
service : accept it therefore of me ; for thou 
art he who heareth and knoweth. And when 
she was delivered of it, she said, Lord, verily 
I have brought forth a female (for God well 
knew what she had brought forth) and a male 

b The Musulman Commentators do not understand this in 
the Christian sense of the words, but say the spirit was the 
angel Gabriel, who sanctified Jesus and attended upon him. 

c The Mohammedans believe there were two persons named 
Imram, one the father of Moses, and the other the father of 
the Virgin Mary, called by the Christians Joachim. 



192 THE LIFE OF CHRIST 

is not as a female ; I have called her Mary, 
and I commend her to thy protection, and 
also her issue against Satan driven with 
stones d . Therefore the Lord accepted her 
with a gracious acceptance, and caused her to 
bear an excellent offspring. And Zacharias 
took care of the child ; whenever Zacharias 
went into the chamber to her, he found provi- 
sions with her : and he said, O Mary, whence 
hadst thou this ? She answered, This is from 
God : for God provideth for whom he pleaseth 
without measure. Then Zacharias called on 
his Lord, and said, Lord, give me from thee 
a good offspring, for thou art the hearer of 

d A superstitious notion prevails among the Musulmans, 
that when Satan tempted Abraham to disobey God by not 
offering his son, that the patriarch pelted him with stones, 
in commemoration of which, at the pilgrimage to Mecca, they 
cast stones, with various ceremonies, in the valley of Mina. 

The story of the wife of Joachim, viz. her devoting Mary 
to the service of the temple, seems to be taken from the Prot- 
evangelion of James, or the Gospel of the birth of Mary, two 
Apocryphal books now lost. — See Jones on the Canonical 
authority of the New Testament. 



ACCORDING TO THE KORAN. 193 

prayer. And the angels e called to him, while 
he stood praying in the chamber, saying, 
Verily God promiseth thee a son named John, 
who shall bear witness to the word which 
cometh from God; an honourable person, 
chaste, and one of the righteous Prophets. He 
answered, Lord, how shall I have a son, when 
old age hath overtaken me, and my wife is 
barren ? The Angel said, So God doth that 
which he pleaseth. Zacharias answered, Lord, 
give me a sign. The Angel said, Thy sign 
shall be, that thou shalt speak unto no man 
for three days, otherwise than by gesture : re- 
member thy Lord often, and praise him even- 
ing and morning. 

" And when the Angels said, O Mary, verily 
God hath chosen thee, and hath purified thee, 
and hath chosen thee above all the women of 



e Though the word here used is plural, yet the Moham- 
medans here, and in the following passages, understand only 
the Angel Gabriel. 

O 



194 LIFE OF CHRIST 

the world : O Mary, be devout towards thy 
Lord, and worship, and bow down with those 
who bow down. This is a secret history : we 
reveal it unto thee, although thou wast not pre- 
sent with them when they threw in their rods 
to cast lots which of them should have the 
education of Mary ; neither wast thou with 
them when they strove among themselves. 
When the Angels said, O Mary, verily God 
sendeth thee good tidings, that thou shalt bear 
the word f proceeding from himself; his name 
shall be Christ Jesus, the Son of Mary, ho- 
nourable in this world and in the world to 
come, and one of those who approach near to 
the presence of God; and he shall speak g unto 



f That is, Jesus, who, as Al-Beidawi says, is so called, be- 
cause he was conceived by the word or command of God, 
without a father. 

s The spurious Gospel of the Infancy, relates a circumstance 
of this nature, from which the account seems borrowed. Vide 
Sale in loco. See also Jones on the Canonical authority of 
the New Testament. 



ACCORDING TO THE KORAN. 195 

men in the cradle \ and when he is grown up ; 
and he shall be one of the righteous : she an- 
swered, Lord, how shall I have a son, since a 
man hath not touched me ? The Angel said, 
So God createth that which he pleaseth : when 
he decreeth a thing, he only saith unto it, Be, 
and it is : God shall teach him the Scripture, 

w 

and wisdom, and the law and the Gospel; and 
shall appoint him his Apostle to the children 
of Israel; and he shall say, Verily I come 
unto you with a sign from your Lord ; for I 
will make before you of clay, as it were, the 
figure of a bird 1 ; then I will breathe thereon, 
and it shall become a bird, by the permission 
of God : and I will heal him that hath been 
blind from his birth ; and the leper : and I 
will raise the dead by the permission of God: 

h See Koran, chap. 5. 

1 The story of Christ's making a bird out of clay, when a 
child, is also in the same Gospel of Christ's Infancy, and the 
Gospel of the Infancy in Greek, under the name of Thomas, 
published by Cotelerius. See Jones as before. 

o 2 



196 LIFE OF CHRIST 

and I will prophesy unto you what ye eat, 
and what ye lay up in store in your houses. 
Verily, herein will be a sign unto you, if ye 
believe. And I come to confirm the law which 
was revealed before me, and to allow unto 
you as lawful, part of that which hath been 
forbidden you : and I come unto you with a sign 
from your Lord ; therefore fear God and obey 
me. Verily, God is my Lord and your Lord : 
therefore serve him. This is the right way. 
But when Jesus perceived their unbelief, he 
said, Who will be my helpers towards God ? 
The Apostles answered, We will be the helpers 
of God ; we believe in God, and do thou bear 
witness that we are true Believers. O Lord, 
we believe in that which thou hast sent down, 
and we have followed thy Apostle ; write us 
down therefore with those who bear witness 
of him. And the Jews devised a stratagem 
against him ; but God devised a stratagem 
against them ; and God is the best deviser of 



ACCORDING TO THE KORAN. 197 

stratagems. When God said unto Jesus, Ve- 
rily, I will cause thee to die \ and I will take 
thee up unto me, and I will deliver thee from 
the Unbelievers; and I will place those who 
follow T thee, above the unbelievers, until the 
day of resurrection : then unto me shall ye 
return, and I will judge between you of that 
concerning which ye disagree. Moreover, as 
for the Infidels, I will punish them with a 
grievous punishment, in this world, and in 
that which is to come ; and there shall be 
none to help them. But they who believe, 
and do that which is right, he shall give them 
their reward; for God loveth not the wicked 
doers. These signs and this prudent admoni- 
tion, do we rehearse unto thee. Verily the 
likeness of Jesus in -the sight of God, is as the 
likeness of Adam : he created him out of the 



This is at variance with the subsequent account of Jesus' 
translation to Heaven, and one of those palpable and gross 
contradictions with which the Koran abounds. 



198 LIFE OF CHRIST 

dust, and then said unto him, Be, and he was. 
This is the truth from thy Lord ; be not there- 
fore one of those who doubt." 

Chap. 4. Entitled Women. — "The Jews 
said k , We have slain Christ Jesus, the Son of 
Mary ; yet they slew him not, neither cruci- 
fied him, but he was represented by one in 
his likeness ; and verily they who disagreed 
concerning him, were in a doubt as to this 
matter, and had no sure knowledge thereof, 
but followed only an uncertain tradition. They 
did not really kill him ; but God took him 
up unto himself: and God is mighty and 
wise. Verily Christ Jesus, the Son of Mary, 
is the Apostle of God, and his Word, which 

k The early Sectaries held very erroneous notions respect- 
ing Christ's sufferings and death : this account is found in the 
apocryphal or spurious Gospel of St. Barnabas. Sale notices, 
that the Basilidians, in the beginning of Christianity, denied 
that Christ suffered, and that Simon the Cyrenian was cruci- 
fied in his place. The Cerinthians and Corporations held 
the same belief. See Jones's interesting account of the Gos- 
pel of Basilides, and that of St. Barnabas. 



ACCORDING TO THE KORAN. 190 

he conveyed into Mary, and a spirit proceed- 
ing from him. Believe therefore in God and 
his Apostles, and say not, there are three 
Gods ; forbear this, it will be better for you : 
God is but one God. Far be it from him that 
he should have a son. Christ doth not 
proudly disdain to be a servant unto God l ." 
Chapter 5. Entitled the Table. — "Remem- 
ber, when the apostles said, O Jesus, son of 
Mary, is thy Lord able to cause a table to 
descend unto us from heaven ? He answered, 
fear God, if ye be true believers. They said, 
we desire to eat thereof, and that our hearts 
may rest at ease, and that we may know that 
thou hast told us the truth, and that we may 
be witnesses thereof. Jesus, the son of Mary, 
said, O God our Lord, cause a table 01 to de- 

1 Innumerable passages assert that Christ is neither God, 
nor the Son of God, and denounce damnation and misery to 
those who believe otherwise. See besides, chapters 4. 6. 10. 
14. 16, 17, 18.27. 31. 37. 41. 

m Some think this story originated from an imperfect notion 
of the Lord's last Supper, and the Institution of the Eucharist. 



200 LIFE OF CHRIST 

scend unto us from heaven, that the day of 
its descent may become a festival day unto 
us, unto the first of us and unto the last of 
us, and a sign from thee ; and do thou pro- 
vide food for us, for thou art the best Pro- 
vider. 

" God said, Verily I will cause it to de- 
scend unto you ; but whoever among you 
shall disbelieve hereafter, I will surely punish 
him with a punishment, wherewith I will not 
punish any other creature. And when God 
shall say unto Jesus at the last day, O Jesus, 
son of Mary, hast thou said unto men, take 
me and my mother for two Gods beside God ? 
He shall answer : Praise be unto thee : it is 
not for me to say that which I ought not : if 
I had said so, thou wouldst surely have known 
it. I have not spoken unto them any other 
than that thou didst command me, viz. Wor- 
ship God, my Lord and your Lord.' 3 

Chapter 19. Entitled Mary. — " Remember 



ACCORDING TO THE KORAN. 201 

in the book of the Koran the story of Mary, 
when she retired from her family to a place 
towards the East, and took a veil to conceal 
herself from them ; and we sent our spirit 
Gabriel unto her, and he appeared unto her 
in the shape of a perfect man. She said, I 
fly for refuge unto the merciful God, that he 
may defend me from thee : if thou fearest 
him, thou wilt not approach me. He an- 
swered, Verily I am the Messenger of thy 
Lord, and am sent to give thee a holy son. 
She said, How shall I have a son, seeing a 
man hath not touched me, and I am no har- 
lot? Gabriel replied, so shall it be: thy 
Lord saith, this is easy with me, and we will 
perform it, that we may ordain him for a sign 
unto men, and a mercy from us : for it is a 
thing which is decreed. Wherefore she con- 
ceived him : and she retired aside with him 
in her womb to a distant place ; and the 
pains of child-birth came upon her near the 



202 LIFE OF CHRIST 

trunk of a palm tree n . She said, Would to 
God I had died before this, and had become 
a thing forgotten and lost in oblivion ! And 
he who was beneath her called to her, saying, 
Be not grieved : now hath God provided a 
rivulet under thee; and do thou shake the 
body of the palm-tree, and it shall let fall 
ripe dates upon thee, ready gathered. And 
eat and drink and calm thy mind. More- 
over if thou see any man and he question 
thee, say, Verily I have vowed a fast unto the 
merciful ; wherefore I will by no means speak 
to a man this day. So she brought the child 
to her people, carrying him in her arms. And 
they said unto her, O Mary, now hast thou 
done a strange thing : O sister of Aaron ° 

n Sale observes a strong resemblance in the account of the 
delivery of the Virgin Mary and that of Latona, not only in 
the circumstance of their laying hold of the palm tree, (though 
some say Latona embraced an olive tree, others an olive or a 
palm, or else two laurels,) but also in the infant's speaking, 
which Apollo is fabled to have done in the womb. 

° The Moslems obviate the apparent difficulty of making 
Mary and Aaron contemporaries, by saying, she had a brother 



ACCORDING TO THE KORAN. 203 

thy father was not a bad man, neither was 
thy mother a harlot. But she made signs 
unto the child to answer them; and they 
said, how shall we speak to him, who is an 
infant in the cradle ? Whereupon the child 
said, Verily I am the servant of God, he hath 
given me the book of the Gospel, and hath 
appointed me a prophet. And he hath made 
me blessed, wheresoever I shall be ; and hath 
commanded me to observe prayer, and to 
give alms so long as I shall live ; and he hath 
made me dutiful towards my mother, and 
hath not made me proud or unhappy. And 
peace be on the day whereon I was born, and 
the day whereon I shall die, and the day 
whereon I shall be raised to life. This was 
Jesus the son of Mary, the Word of truth 
concerning whom they doubt ? ." 

named Aaron, of the same father, but of a different mother; 

others consider it as a mere figurative mode of address ; Mary, 

from her relationship to Elizabeth, being of the Levitical race. 

r The 36th chapter, entitled Y. S. records a singular his- 



204 LIFE OF CHRIST 

Chapter 43. Entitled the Ornaments of 
Gold. — " Jesus is no other than a servant, 
whom we favoured with the gift of prophecy ; 
and we appointed him for an example unto 
the children of Israel (if we pleased we could 
verily from yourselves produce angels, to suc- 
ceed you in the earth) ; and he shall be a 
sign of the approach of the last hour ; where- 
fore doubt not thereof and follow me : this is 
the right way. And let not Satan cause you 
to turn aside : for he is your open enemy. 
And when Jesus came with evident miracles, 
he said, Now I am come unto you with wis- 
dom ; and to explain unto you part of those 
things concerning which ye disagree : where- 
fore fear God and obey me. Verily God is 
my Lord and your Lord ; wherefore worship 

tory of Jesus sending some of his disciples to Antioch, with a 
power to work miracles for their conversion : a great many of 
the people embraced the true faith, and demolished the idols, 
while those who believed not were destroyed by the cry of the 
Angel Gabriel. 



ACCORDING TO THE KORAN. 205 

him : this is the right way. And the confe- 
derated sects among them fell to variance : 
but woe unto those who have acted unjustly, 
because of the punishment of a grievous day." 
Chapter 61. Entitled Battle Array. — -" Re- 
member when Jesus, the son of Mary said, O 
children of Israel, verily I am the apostle of 
God sent unto you, confirming the law which 
was delivered before me, and bringing good 
tidings of an apostle who shall come after me, 
and whose name shall be Ahmed. And when 
he produced unto them evident miracles, 
they said, this is manifest sorcery. But who 
is more unjust than he who forgeth a lie 
against God, when he is invited unto Islam? 
And God directeth not the unjust people. 
They seek to extinguish God's light with their 
mouths : but God will perfect his light, 
though the infidels be averse thereto. O true 
believers, be ye the assistants of God, as Jesus 
the son of Mary, said to the apostles, Who 



206 LIFE OF CHRIST 

will be my assistants with respect to God ? 
The apostles answered, We will be the assist- 
ants of God. So a part of the children of 
Israel believed, and a part believed not : but 
we strengthened those who believed, above 
their enemy ; wherefore they became victo- 
rious over them." 

The foregoing extracts form what may be 
termed the essence of the Christianity of the 
Koran. The history of the world does not 
supply a similar instance of misrepresentation 
and outrage upon fact and history. For Mo- 
hammed dealt largely in spurious and apocry- 
phal books of the Gnostics and the ancient 
heretics, such as the Gospel of Christ's Infan- 
cy, the Gospel of Mary, or as it is otherwise 
called, The Prot-evangelion, and others, em- 
bodying the worst errors of heretical sects and 
substituting them for the genuine doctrines of 
Christianity. Here we perceive the busy and 
inveterate malice of Satan, co-operating with 



ACCORDING TO THE KORAN. 207 

second causes to expel Messiah from his me- 
diatorial kingdom, and advance his own 
usurped authority, expending his fury against 
the truth in rage and madness, till the victo- 
rious seed of the woman crush him under his 
feet. The beautiful and astonishing chain of 
prophecy relating to Christ is wholly unno- 
ticed, as also the consistency and connection 
between his and preceding dispensations. The 
principal incidents of his birth, the appear- 
ance of a star in the East, the homage of the 
wise men, as well as the angelic appearance 
to the shepherds, are entirely suppressed: 
this also is the case respecting his circum- 
cision and presentation in the temple at Jeru- 
salem, together with the testimony of Simeon 
and Anna, the perturbation of Herod, the 
massacre of the Innocents, the flight and re- 
turn from Egypt on the death of the tyrant, 
the early presage of his wisdom manifested in 
the temple, his baptism, conflict with and 

1 



208 LIFE OF CHRIST 

triumph over Satan in the wilderness, his 
public ministry, miracles, and prophecies, 
transfiguration on Mount Tabor, frequent at- 
testations by a voice from heaven, his last 
Supper and address to his disciples, agony in 
the garden of Gethsemane, apprehension, 
condemnation and crucifixion, his burial and 
resurrection on the third day ; told in a strain 
of most touching yet artless eloquence ; the 
condescending manner in which he solved the 
doubts of his disciples by affording palpable 
proofs of his resurrection, his appearing and 
conversing with them forty days, the promise 
of the Holy Ghost to the disciples and the 
descent of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, 
furnishing the disciples with gifts and graces 
for the propagation of the Gospel throughout 
the world, and the immediate conversion that 
followed their plain and faithful testimony to 
the resurrection of their crucified Master. 
These interesting topics recorded by the Evan- 



ACCORDING TO THE KORAN. 209 

gelists and transmitted to us, are passed over, 
as unworthy notice and regard. Yet these 
suppressions confer the negative merit of con- 
sistency on the Koran, because if viewed in 
connection with the more open asseverations, 
they form parts of a fixed design to degrade 
the Messiah and exalt Mohammed in his 
stead, and it shewed discretion to avoid al- 
luding to these extraordinary incidents, rather 
than by agitating the subject to risk inquiry 
and unfavourable conclusions. For it may 
be remarked, that the separate parts of 
Christ's life, excite high expectation, each 
event rising in interest and importance over 
the other, and forming collectively a series of 
wonders, till the scene terminates in his exal- 
tation to heaven ; and therefore suppression 
was prudential, because the facts could not 
well be mixed up with the matter of the 
Koran, and irresistibly prove that Jesus was 
the Messiah to whom alone men were to look 



210 LIFE OF CHRIST 

for salvation. To particularize only in a few 
instances; the appearance of a star in the 
heavens, and the massacre of the innocents 
by Herod, are judiciously discarded as likely 
to beget the question, who this could be, so 
signally announced beyond all precedent. 
The same may be said respecting the wonders 
of his baptism, his conflict with and triumph 
over Satan in the wilderness, his miracles and 
transfiguration ; these form an assemblage of 
facts which could not be accounted for other- 
wise than by allowing his vast superiority 
over all other prophets. The positive denial 
of Christ's death and the substitution of ano- 
ther in his place obviated many difficulties ; 
for that event with its attendant prodigies, 
could not well be explained on the principles 
of the Koran, or reconciled with the state- 
ments there given respecting his person and 
character. 

A sensible and serious man, especially if 



ACCORDING TO THE KORAN. 211 

conversant with the writings of the prophets, 
cannot but be struck with the following coin- 
cidences. First, in the particular fulfilment 
of prophecies and types, in the time of his 
death, as predicted by Daniel *, and the pa- 
rallel circumstances of the paschal lamb, of 
which a bone was not to be broken r , and also 
in the manner of his death by piercing his 
hands and feet 3 . The words used by him*. 
The crucifying him between two malefactors u . 
The dividing his garments and casting lots for 
his vesture*. The thirst of our Saviour on 
the cross, and giving him vinegar and gall to 
drink y . The earthquake that rent the rocks 
and opened the graves; the dead bodies of 
the saints that arose ; the severing of the vail 
of the temple in twain from the top to the 
bottom ; all which constitute a body of evi- 

« Chap. ix. 25. r Exod. xii. 46. s Ps. xxii. 16. ; 

Matt, xxvii. 35. * Ps. xxii. 8. ; Matt, xxvii. 43. 

u Isaiah liii. 12. ; Mark xv. 28. ; Luke xxii. 37. 
x Psa. xxii. 18. ; Matt, xxvii. 35. y Psa. lxix. 21, &c. 

P 2 



212 LIFE OF CHRIST 

dence irresistibly in favour of the Messiahship 
of Jesus. Nature spoke by the mouth of the 
centurion when he said, '■ Truly this was the 
Son of God." In rejecting the facts, here- 
moved a few obstructions out of his way, but 
paved the downfall of his system by identic 
fying it with apocryphal pieces which, though 
they subserved particular purposes at the 
time, have now by consent of the learned, on 
fullest evidence, been consigned to almost 
total oblivion, as possessing no authority, and 
carrying no weight whatever in questions of 
this nature. 

It is grievous to reflect on the ignorance of 
the countries under the Mohammedan domi- 
nion in matters of history and the Scriptures z . 
What Professor Lee observes of the Persians 
is applicable to all who profess Islam : the 
best means in their power consist in the frag- 
ments found in the Koran or the traditions. 

* See Koran, chap. 17, note. 



ACCORDING TO THE KORAN. 213 

" Nor is there much probability of their im- 
proving in this respect, until they shall possess 
a good translation of the whole Bible, with 
some such works as Prideaux's Connection of 
the Old and New Testament, the Connections 
of sacred and profane History by Shuckford, 
and some good commentary on the text of 
Scripture 3 ." Such ignorance is the rather to 
be deplored, because subjects which might be 
decided by appeal to accredited sources and 
conduce to the happiest results, are met by a 
style of metaphysical reasoning and mysticism, 
which instead of simplifying inquiry and elu- 
cidating truth, immerge it in greater per- 
plexity by mere subtleties, difficult to be un- 
derstood, and which, after all, are of no con- 
sequence to the main question. 

a Persian Controversies. 



CHAPTER VII. 



ON THE GRAND SCHEME OF REDEMPTION THROUGH A 

MEDIATOR. 

Whether Mohammed had imbibed erro- 
neous notions of Christian Doctrines, or was 
designedly guilty of prevarication, is a subject 
awfully affecting his criminality, both in kind 
and degree, but falls not within the limits of 
our discussion : we are here weighing his 
avowed sentiments, not the motives which led 
to their adoption. The fact is indisputable, 
that he has dealt largely in Apocryphal Gos- 
pels, and in the construction of his scheme 
omitted the principal ingredient, and what 
may be termed the distinguishing peculiarity 



SCHEME OF REDEMPTION. 215 

of Christianity. The Prophet of Arabia adds 
another to the list of failures in that point, 
where all systems of Religion and Philosophy 
evidenced their imbecility and inadequacy 
before him, viz. in pointing out how sins are 
forgiven through a Mediator. 

The Pagan superstitions retained some ves- 
tiges of this doctrine, derived from ancient 
tradition, and the Jewish Religion was one 
continued multiform type of a Redeemer and 
atonement through him ; but the utmost 
power of man could not advance deeply into 
the subject, because it presupposes a know- 
ledge of many things which can be acquired 
only by revelation, — such as the dreadful na- 
ture of sin, — the penalty sufficient to atone 
for it, — how the justice of God can be satis- 
fied and rendered consistent with mercy in 
pardoning the offender. 

Man is conscious to himself of transgression, 
that he has not loved his Maker with that 



216 SCHEME OF REDEMPTION. 

sincerity and ardour of affection which reason 
dictates is his due : the unfailing monitor in 
the human breast not only accuses of indivi- 
dual transgression, — but on reference to the 
world around him the truth is written in cha- 
racters too plain to be mistaken : if there be 
any argument in history, the history of nations 
is but a confirmation of the fall. The Scrip- 
tures coincide with reason and experience, and 
proclaim every where, that "all have sinned." 
The sacred page declares, that Adam was 
made the federal head or representative of the 
human race : the Almighty imposed on him 
a law to try his obedience, which, had he ob- 
served, he and all his posterity would have 
been happy ; but, by transgressing it, he fell 
and entailed misery and death upon himself 
and descendants. The covenant was, " Do 
this and live, transgress this and die :" now 
Adam having broken the covenant, and be- 
come, as before observed, subject to death, 



SCHEME OF REDEMPTION. 217 

entence was passed accordingly on him, yet 
even then (so merciful was Heaven) intimation 
was given of the victorious seed of the woman 
who should, in after times, destroy the devil, 
and reconcile man with God. 

Natural religion is of no use in these in- 
quiries, and reason is perfectly silent : judging 
from analogy, we see vice suffering its de- 
served penalties : the man who by excesses 
has injured his health, bears the effects of his 
sin in bodily infirmities, and perhaps in pre- 
mature dissolution. Waste and prodigality 
conduct to misery and ruin, however sincere 
and genuine may be repentance ; and in the 
decisions of men, where flagitious crimes are 
concerned, offences against the state, the pro- 
perty and lives of individuals, are visited with 
extremest severity : the offender, though pe- 
netrated with remorse and contrition, is left to 
the justice of the laws : a system of retribu- 
tion prevails, and the demands of justice must 



218 SCHEME OF REDEMPTION. 

be satisfied. There was wanting, therefore, 
some clear illumination and substantial ground 
of hope, which the Christian religion supplies ; 
Jesus Christ is the propitiation for sin. As it 
is certain, that in Adam all die, even so in 
Christ all are made alive. There is nothing 
inconsistent with reason or justice in the 
arrangement; if Adam's sin could destroy, 
Christ's satisfaction could save : God ordained 
it : and made them the two heads, that all that 
descended from them, or depended on them, 
should stand or fall accordingly. The whole 
Epistle to the Hebrews beautifully illustrates 
and confirms the mediatorial character of 
Christ. A mediator may be so by choice ; 
when a person, from a principle of benevo- 
lence, makes a tender of his services to two 
contending parties, with a view to conciliate 
differences : in this case persuasion and argu- 
ment must be the weapons employed : he 
could have no power to compel obedience, 



SCHEME OF REDEMPTION. 219 

and the respect shewn him would bear some 
proportion to their conviction of the purity of 
his motives, and ability to interfere ; a medi- 
ator may also be chosen by consent of parties, 
where his award will be binding, and consi- 
dered as their own act and deed ; and, lastly, 
a mediator may be deputed by a magistrate, 
or one invested with lawful authority, to settle 
the disputes, in which case his determination 
must be imperative on the parties. 

Now Jesus Christ was mediator in the first 
and last of these senses : first by his own vo- 
luntary choice, — he saw us in our low estate, 
and had compassion on us, and undertook to 
mediate between the offended Majesty of 
Heaven and his erring creatures, — and he was 
appointed to the office by God himself: " if 
he should make his soul an offering for sin/' 
the promise was, " that he should see his 
seed, and the pleasure of the Lord should 
prosper in his hands/ ; The Son's voluntary 



220 SCHEME OF REDEMPTION. 

acceptance of the office is recorded in these 
terms, c< Then said I, Lo I come, in the vo- 
lume of the book it is written of me to do thy 
will, O God : I am content to do it, yea thy 
law is in my heart/' Upon this agreement he 
entered on and performed the office of a Me- 
diator, and for this purpose, in reference to 
this work, he is styled the Messiah, the Christ, 
and the Anointed of God. As Moses was the 
Mediator in the Old Testament, to stand be- 
tween God and his people in the Jewish cove- 
nant, so is Christ the Mediator under the 
New Testament, to act for and between God 
and his people in the Christian Covenant. 

The doctrine of a Mediator has every thing 
to recommend it : it is at once grand and 
original : it shews a deep insight into human 
nature, and satisfactorily solves many ques- 
tions, which could be known originally only 
from divine revelation. The defect is fatal to 
the pretensions of the Koran. The pious Mu- 



SCHEME OF REDEMPTION. 221 

sulman never can be happy under his system ; 
it must ever be a matter of doubt and dis- 
tressing perplexity what quantity of repent- 
ance, alms, pilgrimage, or fasting, will be 
sufficient to wash away past offences, and re- 
store him to the favour of his Maker. Ad- 
mitting his repentance sincere and genuine, 
still the weight of fresh sins must prey upon 
his mind ; obedience only can be acceptable 
for itself, and satisfactory only so far as it ex- 
tends. There is not a sure ground of conso- 
lation therefore in the Koran, or in any 
scheme, except what the Gospel unfolds. The 
dignity of the character of the Mediator, and 
the ratification and acceptance of the office 
by God, answers every doubt, and dispels 
every fear; we see how God, without im- 
peachment of his justice, can be merciful: 
we have an advocate with him, Jesus Christ 
the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our 
sins : he ever lives to make intercession for us. 

1 



222 SCHEME OF REDEMPTION. 

The more we consider the scheme, the more 
clearly we see the genuine impress of Heaven 
upon it : it takes in the rights of God, as well 
as the necessities of his creatures. Now that 
the plan is fully manifested, a beautiful sym- 
metry and adaptation of parts appears 
throughout the whole, from its first develope- 
ment to its perfect consummation : reason 
acting as the handmaid to religion, cordially 
approves of the provisions made for the 
recovery of a lost world ! But whence did 
we attain this wisdom ? I repeat. From 
the Koran ? No : with all the advantages 
of preceding revelations, nothing of the 
sort is there discernible. The solemn truth is 
there unheeded. It was communicated to us 
by the fishermen of Galilee, and from whom 
did they obtain the clear avowal ? — From Je- 
sus of Nazareth, who, being in the bosom of 
his Father from all eternity, has revealed as 
much of him, and his gracious purposes to us, 



SCHEME OF REDEMPTION. 223 

as is necessary for our happiness and direc- 
tion. Christianity performs a twofold office ; 
both enlightening the understanding and sub- 
duing the heart, by the most powerful mo- 
tives. The sinner is no longer under fear and 
doubt as to what may be the divine proce- 
dure towards himself: it is of the essence of 
Christianity to inform the mind and tran- 
quillize conscience on this important parti- 
cular ! 

" — i Survey the wondrous cure, 

And at each step let higher wonder rise ! 

Pardon for infinite offence ! And pardon 

Through means that speak its value infinite ! 

A pardon bought with blood ! With blood divine ! 

With blood divine of him I made my foe ! 

Persisted to provoke ! Though woo'd and aw'd, 

Blest and chastis'd, a flagrant rebel still ! 

Nor I alone ! A rebel universe ! 

My species up in arms ! Not one exempt ! 

Yet for the foulest of the foul, he dies!" 

Young. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



THE INCIDENTAL BLESSINGS CONFERRED BY CHRISTI- 
ANITY URGED AS A PRESUMPTIVE PROOF OF ITS 
DIVINE ORIGINAL. 

The knowledge of God and his attributes, 
with which revelation has favoured us, fairly 
authorizes the inference that a dispensation 
emanating from himself, would bear strong, 
distinctive marks of its divine Author in its 
general outlines, and that while promoting 
glory to God in the highest, peace on earth 
and good-will towards men, would charac- 
terize its ulterior provisions. This was the 
case both as regards Judaism and Christi- 
anity : Judaism was good in its place as 



DIVINE ORIGINAL, <fec. 225 

paving the way and conducting to a more 
finished revelation, of which the Prophets 
spake, and having effected its purpose, it be- 
came, as it were, absorbed in the superior 
glory of Christianity, which has more fully 
displayed the divine perfections, and benefited 
the nations. This is confirmed by actual re- 
ference to the condition, moral and political, 
as well as religious, of the countries where 
Christianity has penetrated. In proportion 
as its pure doctrines have been undebased 
by human mixtures, so much the more stri- 
kingly perceptible are its beneficial results : 
but the reverse is the case with Islamism, 
which has subsisted more than twelve cen- 
turies with an injurious and stationary effect 
wherever it has obtained ascendency. Con- 
trast the two systems as to their relative influ- 
ence on knowledge and civilization, and this 
position will be fully verified. 

The superior intelligence in Christian coun- 

Q 



226 DIVINE ORIGINAL 

tries is obvious to the most superficial ob- 
server: it is the character of revelation, while 
enlightening the mind on subjects professedly 
beyond its reach, to address itself to the rea- 
son and understanding : whenever prevalent, 
it encourages and promotes the growth and 
expansion of the intellectual faculties. What 
surpasses reason is avowedly grounded on 
the authority of God, but the evidence which 
accompanies it, and the Scriptures by which 
the whole is to be weighed, are recommend- 
ed to frequent attentive perusal. u Search the 
Scriptures," says Christ, " for they testify of 
me i" the great Apostle to the Gentiles also 
applies the epithet noble to the Bereans for this 
very circumstance : " These were more noble 
than those inThessalonica, because they search- 
ed the Scriptures daily, whether these things 
were so ; therefore many of them believed." 

This spirit of investigation candidly pur- 
sued, and after proper objects, is highly con- 

8 



OF CHRISTIANITY. 227 

ducive to a state of mental and intellectual 
superiority. Its benefits are not restricted 
to religion, but habits of close thought and 
reasoning are produced, favourable to the ad- 
vancement of knowledge generally : the mind 
is strengthened and enlarged by the exercise, 
more correct views are acquired, the judg- 
ment is convinced, and reason acts as a use- 
ful ally to revelation : they mutually illus- 
trate and receive support, and truth is bene- 
fited by the friendly association. 

The genius of Mohammedanism is directly 
opposed to Christianity in this respect : be- 
cause, if the faith of the Moslems, be as they 
pretend, perfect with all its attendant cir- 
cumstances, if nothing remain but implicit 
assent, there is an end to every mental 
effort and all solicitude on the subject. To 
doubt or attempt improvement or correction 
in any point, must be accounted an act of 
sacrilege or impiety — the melancholy con- 

q 2 



228 DIVINE ORIGINAL 

sequence of which is, that man is degraded 
from a rational being to a necessary agent. 
Knowledge must be held in light estimation in 
countries so situated, and a contempt for every 
thing exists, save the Koran and its expositions. 
The conflagration of the library at Alex- 
andria by the Caliph Omar, shews the early 
existence of such fanaticism and bigotry 
among the followers of the Arabian Prophet ! 
The precepts a of the Koran are unfavourable 
to sculpture or the kindred art of painting, 
from their liability to be perverted to pur- 

a " Mahometans are at all times ready to acknowledge our 
superiority in every thing connected with manufactures and 
arts. This concession, indeed, could not well be withheld, as 
most articles of a finer quality are imported from Europe into 
the East, and the greater portion of them from England. 
Nevertheless, it is surprising that a people so bigoted to their 
own superiority in most respects, have allowed us a pre-emi- 
nence even in this. They reconcile it however to their vanity, 
by observing that we, as infidels, have our enjoyments in this 
life, while theirs, as true Believers, will be in a world to come. 
In short, that we are as superior to them, as the children of this 
world are, in their generation, wiser than the children of light." 
- — Keppel's Narrative, vol, i. p. 6, &c. 



OF CHRISTIANITY. 229 

poses of idolatry ; and also to their improve- 
ment in physic and anatomy, from the foolish 
superstition respecting the examination of the 
sepulchre. At one period of their history there 
flourished among them poets, astronomers, 
historians, orators, and physicians. Al-hazen 
improved optics, and Mahomet Mose is 
said to have discovered algebra. During 
the reign of Al-mamon b , which may be termed 
their Augustan age, the learning of the Greeks 
was transfused into the Arabian language, 
learned foreigners were invited, schools and 
colleges founded, whilst Europe comparatively 
was in ignorance, and to their translations 
we are indebted for the recovery of several 

b Al-mamon, the seventh Caliph of the family of the Abas- 
sides, who flourished about the year 820, has the honour of 
being the founder of the modern Arabian learning. Alman- 
zor, about fifty years before Al-mamon, commenced the literary 
reform, when he moved the imperial seat from Damascus to 
Bagdad, and extended the Arabian literature, which had been 
confined to medicine, and a few other branches, to sciences of 
every denomination. Al-mamon completed the work which 
Almanzor begun. 



230 DIVINE ORIGINAL 

works of the ancients ; but this does not affect 
our general position, being a partial exception 
super-induced by peculiar circumstances ; but 
even then their particular tenets counteracted 
the benefit that might have been reaped from 
the great masters of antiquity : the precepts 
of liberty inculcated by the orators and histo- 
rians found no congenial echo in the breasts 
of men inured to despotism ; and the finest 
flights of poetry connected with heathen my- 
thology, were at complete variance with their 
principles and prejudices; so that generally 
speaking, as nations, those under the Moham- 
medan yoke, must be allowed far inferior in 
march of mind and civilization, and even 
centuries behind them in improvements. 
The system does not keep pace with the in- 
creased and growing information of the times, 
perhaps it may have nearly reached the grand 
climacteric, for it may be truly said, 

" Vix ultra quo jam progrediatur habet." 



OF CHRISTIANITY. 231 

Exclusive of its repugnance to any thing 
like discussion or comparison, and the severi- 
ties practised on those who renounce the 
errors of their creed, the doctrine of fatalism 
excludes the possibility of amelioration in 
their state, until some great mental revolution 
be effected : for believing all events with their 
incidents unalterably fixed, a general apathy 
and neglect of the means is prevalent amongst 
them ; the horrible consequences of which 
have been experienced in times of infectious 
sickness, when many lives have been sacri- 
ficed, which under proper care and manage- 
ment might have been preserved. " The 
Koran inculcates in the most absolute sense, 
the tenets of fate and predestination, which 
would extinguish both industry and virtue, if 
the actions of men were governed by his spe- 
culative belief ." Again, " the degraded con- 
dition of the females and the practice of poly- 

c Gibbon. 



232 DIVINE ORIGINAL 

gamy is opposed to sound policy and happi- 
ness/' Our great Master restored marriage to 
its primitive honour, and graced it with the 
first miracle that he wrought, in Cana of Ga- 
lilee ; the excellent instructions, in consonance 
with the dicta of their Master, conveyed by 
the Apostles on the subject, place the institu- 
tion in the most respectable light, and tend 
to the well-being and happiness of society. 
The Musulmans are allowed four either wives 
or concubines by their law, but the Prophet, 
as has been before stated, assumed greater 
licence by way of special prerogative; and 
the inutility of the measure is exemplified in 
himself; his daughter Fatima, whom he had 
by his wife Khadijah, alone surviving him, 
notwithstanding all the latitude of promis- 
cuous concubinage. In fine, the nearness 
between the sexes, making a suitable allow- 
ance for the surplus of males, indicates the 
original intention of Providence. Further, 



OF CHRISTIANITY. 233 

as regards society collectively, its operation is 
injurious, being calculated for tyranny and sla- 
very rather than a just and rational freedom. 
Pride and contempt of other nations spring na- 
turally from the constitution of Mohammeda- 
nism, and interminable war with unbelievers. 

The Christian religion has benefited man- 
kind by diffusing more widely the spirit of 
benevolence ; under its mild influence, slavery 
and persecution are gradually receding in 
Christian states. The asperities between rival 
countries are mitigated: though they have 
not yet turned their spears into plough-shares 
or their swords into pruning-hooks, yet it may 
be reasonably anticipated, in proportion as 
the spirit of Christianity becomes more and 
more influential in the world, that there will 
be a diminution of the evils of this scourge, 
until prophecy shall be fulfilled, and the na- 
tions learn war no more. 

History and experience concur in establish- 



234 DIVINE ORIGINAL 

ing the fact, that states can be happy only in 
proportion as they are virtuous ] and whatever 
imposes a restraint on private life contributes 
to the general welfare. Here Christianity 
has decidedly the advantage over all systems. 
The perfect code of morals, and the self- 
denying virtues inculcated by it, act as a noble 
check on the irregular passions of mankind, 
and form the best safeguard of virtue and 
happiness. Besides laying the only sure foun- 
dation, it asserts dominion over the thoughts 
and intents of the heart, a spiritual sove- 
reignty, beneath whose silent, yet irresistible, 
influence moral evils are gradually receding, 
and the earnest or dawn of a bright day is open- 
ing to the benighted regions of the earth. 

But, lastly, apart from other considera- 
tions, Christianity is entitled to the lasting gra- 
titude of the world by propounding and en- 
forcing moral and political duties, without 
alarming jealousy by interfering with merely 



OF CHRISTIANITY. 235 

secular institutions. The legislator and states- 
man must on political grounds reverence and 
esteem Christianity : not that we would lay 
any undue stress on this argument, or view it 
in any other light than " one of the incidental 
blessings :" without servility to any, it con- 
sults the good of all ; for while it strongly in- 
culcates obedience to authorities, on sound 
principles, not merely for wrath but for con- 
science sake; it reminds those who possess 
power of the solemn account which they must 
one day give ; thus tending both among rulers 
and their subjects, to cement more closely 
the bonds of civil society, and promote pri- 
vate and public happiness. Christianity has 
now existed more than eighteen centuries, 
and its practical operation or tendency has 
been sensibly felt and acknowledged. Ex- 
perience is a test of truth, and in ascertaining 
the most happy and flourishing empires, we 
should not search amongst the abodes of pa- 



236 DIVINE ORIGINAL, &c. 

ganism, under its various appellations ; nor 
should we fix on Turkey, Persia, or the em- 
pire of the great Mogul, but where Chris- 
tianity, by diffusing its light and blessings, has 
given birth to a well-ordered state of things, 
utterly unknown in the despotic dynasties of 
the East. And these blessings are likely to 
prove permanent; because if society be as 
happy as the nature of things will allow in 
this probationary state, there can be no desire 
of change, or fear of revolution : for in pro- 
portion to the increase of knowledge and 
spread of information, so much the greater 
will be the attachment and harmony of the 
different members who compose the body 
politic, and consequently every prospect of 
security and permanence which can be ob- 
tained (i amidst the changes and chances of 
this transitory life." 



CHAPTER IX. 



THE PROPHECIES RELATING TO THE DISSOLUTION OF THE 
MOHAMMEDAN APOSTACY, URGED AS AN ENCOURAGE- 
MENT FOR ATTEMPTING THEIR CONVERSION ON AN 
ENLARGED SCALE; AND THE PROBABLE MEANS BY 
WHICH IT WILL BE EFFECTED. 

While the Christian reflects with exultation 
on the superiority of his faith, as regards its 
evidence, doctrines, precepts, and tendency 
to promote the present and future happiness 
of mankind, he feels painful sensations of re- 
gret, that such extensive and populous coun- 
tries in Europe, Asia, and Africa, including 
some of the finest provinces in the terraqueous 
globe, should now, by an awful reverse, be 
subjected to such a degrading and pernicious 



238 DISSOLUTION OF THE 

superstition, as Mohammedanism may be em- 
phatically termed, when contrasted with Chris- 
tianity : from the impulse of humanity, as well 
as conscience, he ardently wishes the recovery 
of these strong holds of Satan to their rightful 
master, by their conversion from darkness to 
light, and from a religion of mere carnal ex- 
pedients and policy, to a knowledge of the 
true God and Saviour Jesus Christ. The pe- 
riod in which we live affords much to animate 
zeal, and encourage renewed exertions in the 
cause. The partial instances of conversion 
sufficiently indicate that our labours, on an 
enlarged scale, and under suitable openings 
of Providence, will not be ineffectual ; but the 
great ground of hope is derived from general 
and particular prophecy. " Blessed is he that 
believeth, for there shall be an accomplish- 
ment of the things which are spoken/' 

If any weight may be attached to the opi- 
nions of the ablest expositors of Scripture, the 



MOHAMMEDAN APOSTACY. 239 

period of deliverance may not be far removed. 
Daniel says a , t( I heard the man clothed in 
linen, which was upon the waters of the river, 
when he held up his right hand and his left 
hand unto heaven, and sware by him that 
liveth for ever, that it shall be for a time, 
times, and an half*; and when he shall have 
accomplished to scatter the power of the holy 
people, all these things shall be finished/' 



a Chap. xii. 7. 

b " We must compute the time according to the nature and 
genius of the prophetic language. A time, then, and times, 
and half a time, are three years and a half ; and the ancient 
Jewish year, consisting of twelve months, and each month of 
thirty days, a time and times and half a time, or three years 
and a half, are reckoned in the Revelations (chap. xi. 2, 3. 
and xii. 6. 14.) as equivalent to forty and two months, or a 
thousand two hundred and threescore days : and a day in the 
style of the Prophets is a year. ' I have appointed thee each 
day for a year/ saith God to Ezekiel, (chap. iv. 6.) ; and it is 
confessed that the seventy weeks, in the ninth chapter of Da- 
niel, are weeks of years; and, consequently, 1260 days are 
1260 years. So long Anti-Christ, or the little horn, will con- 
tinue ; but from what point of time the commencement of 
these 1260 years is to be dated, is not so easy to determine." 
— (Bishop Newton's Disc. vol. i.) 



240 DISSOLUTION OF THE 

Thus we see the Anti-Christian power here 
described, was to last a time, times, and half 
a time ; and, according to the usual method 
of interpretation, a time is equal to a year, 
times and half a time to two years and a half, 
altogether three years and an half, or forty- 
two months, which, by adopting the Jewish 
mode of calculation, of thirty days to a month, 
gives 1260 prophetic days, or years. The 
duration of Mohammedanism is generally con- 
sidered as predicted in Revelations xi. 2. " The 
holy city shall they tread under foot forty and 
two months/' This number of months, com- 
prising also thirty days each, according to 
the former process, yields the same total of 
1260 prophetic days, or years. 

Again, the witnesses are stated in the fol- 
lowing verse of this chapter, to prophesy in 
sackcloth a thousand two hundred and three- 
score days. " And I will give power unto my 
witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand 



MOHAMMEDAN APOSTASY. 241 

two hundred and threescore days, clothed in 
sackcloth," which, reckoning a day for a year, 
produce the same total as before, of 1260 
years. 

Further, in Revelations it is written, "And 
to the woman were given two wings of a great 
eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, 
into her place ; where she is nourished for a 
time and times and half a time, from the face 
of the serpent :" the woman, that is the 
Church, is here described as nourished for a 
time, times, and half a time, from the face of 
the serpent (her enemy), which leads exactly 
to the same result as before. 

The best commentators are agreed in their 
sentiments respecting the extent of time as- 
signed to this Anti-Christian power. If, then, 
after the prescribed space of 1260 years, its 
dissolution may be expected, the difficulty 
will be in ascertaining the sera of the com^ 

c Chap. xii. 14. 
It 



242 DISSOLUTION OF THE 

mencement of the apostasy : if we select the 
year of our Lord 606, this consummation, so 
devoutly to be wished, will occur about the 
year 1866 : still, however, as Bishop Newton 
observes, in his quotation from Irenseus, in a 
like case, " it is surer and safer to wait for the 
completion of the prophecy, than to conjec- 
ture and divine about it. When the end shall 
come, then shall we know better whence to 
date the beginning/' 

When the light of truth shall penetrate 
these dark regions, all the efforts of Grand 
Seignors, Sultans, Bashaws, and Muftis, to ex-^ 
tinguish it, will be unavailing. Though various 
causes may combine to impede its progress, 
yet its ultimate success is certain and irre- 
sistible. Such important events are connected 
with the demolition of this apostasy, and its 
kindred branch in the Western Hemisphere, 
(both of which, as before shewn d ,) arose al- 

a See chap. L 



MOHAMMEDAN APOSTASY. 243 

most simultaneously, and, as it is conjectured, 
will terminate together, after the lapse of 
1260 years; that the accomplishment may 
well be the subject of prayer and most 
vigorous exertion on our part, especially since 
the times in which we live are favourable 
to the undertaking. Various obstacles are 
withdrawn, and the nations of the Eastern 
and Western world are brought into closer 
contact with each other. Advantage also has 
been taken, to a certain extent, of the oppor- 
tunities thus cast in our way, as will appear 
on reference to the writings of different indivi- 
duals % from which the most satisfactory con- 
clusions may be deduced. 

The errors of the Mohammedans are in- 
deed inveterate, and closely interwoven with 
their government, so that the one must stand 
or fall by the other ; for which cause some 
have maintained that hardly any thing was 

e See Persian Controversies ; Dr. Buchanan's Christian Re- 
searches. 

R 2 



244 DISSOLUTION OF THE 

adequate to its overthrow, except invasion on 
a large scale, or such a thorough national re- 
volution as could only be effected by hostile 
armies ; but the Christian must recollect, that 
such opinions are indefensible, and such max- 
ims receive no countenance whatever from 
our mild and holy religion ; nay, all kinds 
of violence, even with a view to introduce 
the purest creed, are, on Christian grounds, 
utterly inadmissible. Even the reception of 
truth itself, by compulsion, though good in 
the abstract, would be evil to the individual. 
The strong holds of sin and Satan are not to be 
dismantled by the thundering of cannon, but 
in a different way; the weapons of our war- 
fare not being carnal. Man cannot properly 
believe, where his understanding and judg- 
ment remain uninformed and unconvinced : it 
is the height of cruelty and persecution to en- 
force belief by coercive measures; persuasion 
and argument are the lawful weapons : at the 



MOHAMMEDAN APOSTASY. 245 

same time, it must be allowed to be a differ- 
ent question, whether Protestant States may 
impose civil disabilities on the profession of 
certain tenets judged inimical to the public 
weal, because such a measure is not designed 
to make men believe any thing, but to pre- 
vent the moral and political mischiefs which 
would ensue from their uncontroled acting 
on principles already professed. Be this how- 
ever as it may, compulsion can be of no real 
service in advancing the interests of Christi- 
anity, which prefers its claims to acceptance 
on far different grounds. We must watch the 
openings of Providence, and follow where they 
would lead. God is never at a loss for means 
to accomplish his will. 

The Wahabees once struck terror through 
the Ottoman world. " The Musulmans heard 
with horror, that the shrines of Mohammedan 
saints in Arabia had been violated, and the 
chapels at Mecca, consecrated to the memory 



246 DISSOLUTION OF THE 

of the Prophet and his family* had been 
levelled with the ground. But the army of 
the Othmans recaptured the sacred city, and 
the appearance, at this critical conjuncture f , 
of the plague and small pox among the Wa- 
habees, saved the mighty fabric of Islam- 
ism g . 

What effect the struggles of the Greeks, or 
the more formidable attacks that threaten 
them, may produce, are foreign to our discus- 
sion : we are to mark the indications of Pro- 
vidence, and direct our attention where they 
point the way. The path of duty is to use 
lawful means, either by sending Missionaries, 
or copies of the Scriptures, and other useful 
works, leaving the result in humble submis- 
sion to His will, to whom alone the times and 
seasons belong. Ample encouragement is 
vouchsafed to us in the certainty that Anti- 
Christ must fall, the fullness of the Gentiles 

1 A. D. 1803. g Mills' History, p. 439. 



MOHAMMEDAN APOSTASY. 247 

and the restoration of the Jews be accom- 
plished, and His sovereignty be universally 
established, whose is " the kingdom, and the 
power, and the glory." The providential 
dealings of the Almighty may well excite the 
admiring wonder and praise of his people. 

At one period Mohammedanism contributed 
to the revival of letters, when Constantinople 
was captured by the Turks in 1453. A num- 
ber of learned Greeks withdrew to Italy, 
where they gave a new impulse to literature. 
Among others were Theodorus of Gaza, 
George of Trebizonde, Argyropulus, Deme- 
trius Calcondylas, &c. Under the protection 
of the Popes, Nicolas the 5th and Pius the 
2nd, learning revived and flourished in Italy, 
and was from thence diffused throughout the 
nations of the West. The torch of knowledge, 
almost extinguished in the West, was thus 
re-illumined from the East; and the West 
may return the obligation, by presenting them 



248 DISSOLUTION OF THE 

with the genuine unpolluted Oracles of God^ 
with those helps and illustrations, the accu- 
mulated treasure of ages, which may tend to 
clear many seeming incongruities, and faci- 
litate their general reception. And the ad- 
vantages reciprocally conferred will act pow- 
erfully in confirming the faith and increasing 
the joy of the nations, from the fulfilment of 
prophecy concerning the Messiah's kingdom, 
against which the gates of hell cannot prevail. 
Enveloped, as Mohammedan countries are, 
in ignorance and infidelity, some traits of cha- 
racter hold out an instructive lesson to Chris- 
tians. It is customary to read the Koran once 
a month : David announces it as the distin- 
guishing mark of the good man, that " his 
delight is in the law of the Lord, and that he 
meditates therein day and night/' Job es- 
teemed it more than his necessary food. No 
one is permitted to touch the Koran till he 
be first washed, and then onlv with a clean 



MOHAMMEDAN APOSTASY. 249 

linen cloth : the Priest must kiss it .and bow, 
and elevate it while reading; it being consi- 
dered a kind of sacrilege to hold it lower than 
the girdle. What blessings may we expect, 
not from superstitious observances, but from 
the increasing reverence paid to the Scrip- 
tures ! How t powerfully must they contribute 
towards the advancement of the Messiah's 
kingdom, compared to a " stone cut out with- 
out hands, which became a great mountain, 
and filled the earth h ! ' &c. This is the 
weapon which Christ made use of in all his 
conflicts here below, and bequeathed to his 
disciples : it is of tried virtue and efficacy, and 
will prove mighty, through the Spirit, to the 
pulling down of strong holds, and the demo- 
lition of every Anti-Christian power. 

We are indebted to the Reformation for 
the more full acknowledgment of the suffi- 
ciency of the Scriptures for salvation, and 

h Daniel ii. 34, &c, 



250 DISSOLUTION OF THE 

the right of private judgment : these princi- 
ples, so widely diffused, will prove of incal- 
culable importance in accelerating the tri- 
umphs of the Gospel. Archimedes boasted 
that he could move the earth, if furnished 
with a suitable apparatus ; and the language 
of inspiration is, " See that ye refuse not him 
that speaketh : for if they escaped not who 
refused him that spake on earth, much more 
shall not we escape, if we turn away from 
him that speaketh from Heaven ! Whose voice 
then shook the earth, but now he hath pro- 
mised, saying, yet once more I shake not the 
earth onlv, but also Heaven; and this word, 
yet once more, signifieth the removing of those 
things that are shaken, as of things that are 
made, that those things which cannot be 
shaken may remain V These remarks cannot 
be summed up better than in the language of 
our Church, (the grand prop and pillar of the 

1 Heb. xii. 25, &c. 



MOHAMMEDAN APOSTASY. 251 

faith,) which thus feelingly conveys its senti- 
ments in the Collect for Good Friday. 

" O merciful God, who hast made all men, 
and hatest nothing that thou hast made, nor 
wouldest the death of a sinner, but rather that 
he should be converted and live ; have mercy 
upon all Jews, Turks, Infidels, and Heretics, 
and take from them all ignorance, hardness of 
heart, and contempt of thy word, and so 
fetch them home, blessed Lord, to thy flock, 
that they may be saved among the remnant 
of the true Israelites, and be made one fold, 
under one Shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord, 
who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the 
Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. 
Amen." 

FINIS. 



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